


Bring It Back

by LadyOfLoriens



Series: Bring It Back [1]
Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bottom John Deacon, Brian May/Roger Taylor - Freeform, Character Death Fix, Fluff, M/M, Maylor - Freeform, Mutual Pining, Possessive Behavior, Protective Behavior, Time Travel Fix-It, Top Freddie Mercury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-09-21 19:04:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17048870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyOfLoriens/pseuds/LadyOfLoriens
Summary: DEACURYTime-travel, fix-it story. John is devastated by Freddie's death. Fate decides to give him a second chance at happiness.





	1. Don't Take It Away

John sat in the corner of the room feeling decidedly numb. He could hear Roger and Brian talking, but he couldn't make out their words. He was curled in on himself with his arms wrapped around his knees and his chin touching his chest. It was the best he could do to hide in that moment, hoping he wouldn't have to face reality. The bassist could feel his tears leaking through his shirt quickly even though he didn't make a sound. He didn't want any attention to be brought to himself. He didn't want to have to talk or explain or accept comfort. Brian had tried to hug him when he first found out, and that had been too much for the shorter brunet. It was the reason he had pushed himself into the corner. 

Freddie was gone. His best friend. Of course, Roger and Brian were also his best friends, but he and Freddie had always been closer. Just as Roger and Brian tended to hang around each other more, Freddie and John shared a close bond that no one else could touch. It was what made losing the singer so incredibly unbearable. 

John's chest burned. He swore he was going to die from a broken heart right alongside his friend. He couldn't help but think that it would be better that way- to stop living instead of trying to live in a world without Freddie's incredible light. Brian and Roger's voices continued on. He partially registered them trying to talk to him, but John didn't acknowledge them. How could they bear to even breathe at a time like this? John felt white hot anger course through him. Didn't they love Freddie!?

As quickly as it came, the anger melted away to more sadness. John knew his band mates adored Freddie. They were a family, after all. Roger had apparently done his fair share of crying on the way over when he had gotten the call. It was understandable that the blond was trying to control his emotions now. Brian had always been one to keep eerily calm until he was alone, so John didn't doubt the tall man would be just as much of a wreck as he was once he was home alone. 

John still couldn't understand, though. With every minute that passed, the pain of  _living_ grew. Freddie didn't deserve to be taken, and John wished desperately that he could go with him. His head pounded longingly at the thought as he sucked in a strangled breath, the voices in the room fading in favor of a terrible ringing. His nails bit roughly into his skin as the pain increased.

The voices became louder again, closer. John could feel hands attempting to pry him out of his position, but he was stronger. His resolve to hide was stronger. For a moment, he heard a familiar voice calling his name, and then the sounds and hands faded completely. 

Startled by the sudden nothingness, John lifted his head, eyes barely open as he struggled to see through his tears and the puffiness of his eyelids. The room was different, warmer, but just as familiar. He quickly tried to blink, a mangled sob ripping from his raw throat as a different type of panic set in. He didn't know where he was or how he had gotten there. Where were the others? 

Yelling. There was yelling somewhere...upstairs? But they had been on the top floor of Freddie's house. Had someone moved him to a different room instead of trying to get him to open up? John appreciated the thought, but he didn't remember anybody carrying him. A sudden crash and more screaming had John flinching and partially curling up again. Why were Roger and Brian yelling at each other? He assumed they were working through their grief as well.

Tears continued to stream down his face, only now they were slower. Confusion was taking over part of his mind, giving him a small distraction from the mourning he was suffering through. If anyone would call it mourning. John refused to accept that Freddie was gone. 

He sniffled to himself as he looked around, frowning at the space around him. The area was all brick, something Freddie wouldn't have ever allowed in his all too modern home. So, they weren't in Freddie's home, then? John began to tremble, everything overwhelming his foggy mind. What was going on?

Three keys on a piano played. It wouldn't have been significant if it weren't for the voice that followed the keys. John's eyes grew wide. That lovely voice...He must be hallucinating. John took a moment to thank his mind for trying to bring him some happiness while his world was falling apart. More questions swirled in John's head, but none of them were louder than the muffled muttering of a song coming through the ceiling above him. When he looked up, John finally recognized the space. 

He was back in that quaint farmhouse room, the one with the floppy pillows and scratchy blankets. It was the birthplace of their most successful album. The bassist looked down at his hands cautiously to find them wrinkle-free. It was like he was really back. That meant...

John scrambled off of the bed as quickly as possible, stumbling onto the floor more than once on the way to the stairs out of his room. Not even the return of his tears, this time happy and hopeful, stopped his mission to the top floor of the old house. The beautiful notes grew only a little louder as he loped up the stairs and into the small open area between the bedrooms where the piano was. 

There, singing softly and taking notes on paper, was Freddie. Long-haired, bright, beautiful, alive  _Freddie_. John didn't give his mind a moment to doubt the situation. He was going to take what he could get, even if it was a hallucination. With another broken sob, he flung himself at the man, nearly knocking Freddie from the piano bench. 

"John?" Freddie asked in surprise as he quickly braced himself on the bench with one hand behind him, the other wrapping around John to keep him from falling as well. 

John lost the ability to speak just as he had done earlier. The rush of quickly changing emotions was making him tired, but he knew better than to close his eyes for even a moment. Freddie might disappear. Instead, he clung to Freddie tightly, his body trembling weakly in an attempt to keep the singer from going anywhere. 

"John? Goodness, darling, you look a fright. Whatever is the matter?" 

John nearly groaned. Hearing those words with that soft tone of love and tenderness Freddie had always taken with him made him want to hide again. He knew it couldn't be real, but he couldn't let the hallucination go. 

"Come along, my dear. This is no place for a fit," Freddie told him before gently helping him stand. John didn't release his hold on Freddie's soft sweater, only clinging harder when the singer moved to walk away.

John found his voice again. "Don't go!" he begged frantically, his knees nearly buckling below him. 

"Hush now. I'm only moving us to my room. The bed is much more comfortable than the bench, yes?" Freddie didn't get a response. He continued on towards his room anyways, his arms hooking tightly around John as if afraid the pale man was going to topple on the spot. It was possible. 

"There we are. Much better, see? Now, what's bothering you so?" Freddie didn't release John as he asked this, something John was extremely thankful for. He wondered idly how hallucinations could feel so solid, but he quickly shook off the thought. Even thinking about why he was such a mess made him upset again, and all of his attention quickly returned to his terrible morning. He wanted so badly to explain everything to Freddie. The singer always made him feel better about terrible situations. The longer he dwelled on the thought, the more John figured it wouldn't matter. It was his hallucination, right? 

"Y-You're dead! You're dead and I didn't even get to say goodbye! You were so cold..." John winced at his own yelling, having never been one for loud noises. 

"Dead? John, darling, I'm right here. Did you have a nightmare?" Freddie asked softly, always softly. It had irritated John in the beginning, the way Freddie would always speak to him like a frightened rabbit. Over the years, he'd grown to enjoy it. Even now, it brought a level of comfort to him that Brian's hug never could. 

"I-I don't know," John replied honestly, his breath catching as he spoke. He looked up to find that Freddie was holding him close again, their heads resting together. He could feel Freddie's warmth seeping into him.

"Well, you can see I'm not dead, right?" 

John nodded against him. It was true, the Freddie in front of him was very much alive. How long that was going to last, John didn't know, but it was the truth at the moment. 

"Then there is no need to fret, my dear. You nearly gave me a heart attack when you rushed at me looking so absolutely shattered. I thought something had happened." Freddie's voice was only a little higher than a whisper when he said this. John blushed as he realized how odd it must have been to see him like that. He'd always been the more sensitive one of the group, but he wasn't prone to breakdowns. 

"It was so real...It still feels real. This feels like a dream..." John looked up at Freddie again, eyes glossy and inflamed. "I don't want you to die, Freddie."

Freddie opened his mouth to assure John, but the look in his friend's eyes made him pause. Whatever John had just experienced was no simple dream. It was clearly tearing the man apart. He knew it was selfish of him to think so, but it warmed his heart to know John was so worked about a dream about his death. After all, Freddie knew  _he_  wasn't a dream. At the same time, it tugged painfully at Freddie's chest to see John like that. 

The singer tightened his hold on the bassist, one of his hands finding the small of John's back while the other gently cupped the back of his head. Their bodies were flush against each other in a way that made both of them relax. Neither said a thing for a while. Freddie gave his affections freely, even toying gently with John's long locks and stroking his back. John soaked it all up, mostly too exhausted to do much else. Not that he wanted it to stop.

"Hmm. Feeling a bit better, lovey?" Freddie asked after what seemed like hours. John nodded silently, his grip never leaving Freddie's body. He did feel better than he had earlier. His tears had finally stopped, and his heart had calmed.

"Wonderful. Now, what do you say to a bit of rest? You need it," the singer told him without letting him go. John stiffened again because he was afraid of closing his eyes and going back to that horrible time. Freddie could feel John tense against him, so he did what he knew would calm John enough to get him to sleep. The singer laid them both down on his bed, moving only enough to tuck John against his chest. It was a bit awkward with their similar height, but John fixed that by curling up into a small ball. Freddie noted with amusement that John could probably fit into a suitcase in his current position. 

John really did try his best to keep his eyes wide open. It worked at first, but the feeling of being held by Freddie, the warmth the other man's body was producing, the heady scent of tobacco and French cologne that Freddie wore combined with Freddie's quiet humming had John's eyes closing in less than ten minutes. As John drifted deeper and deeper into sleep, Freddie let his thoughts wander.

Despite being almost the same size, John always held himself so much smaller. The bassist was also much more fragile. Freddie recalled the scathing comments he'd received after one of their first shows as a band. Roger had exploded and nearly killed the man while John had been near tears. Freddie had assured them both that it didn't bother him. It was to be expected. Roger had shrugged and grinned with pride, a tooth missing from his mouth, while John had hugged him tightly for the first time and assured him that what the man had said wasn't true. 

Since then, the band had only grown incredibly closer. They were never shy with each other, and never held back any friendly touches. John in particular had become quite clingy with Freddie after the incident. It didn't bother the singer one bit. Freddie usually encouraged it by freely giving his own affections to the man whenever they were close enough to do so. It was starting to become more comfortable to have John in his arms than it was to be apart. 

Just as he had that day, Freddie felt protective of the man in his arms. He knew the others felt it as well. It was the reason they all had a silent agreement to hide the gossip mags and the newspapers from John. Even though Roger and Brain were in agreement that John was to be protected, Freddie knew it was different for himself. While the other two watched out for John in the way older siblings would look after their younger ones, Freddie fought to keep John as soft as a flower for different reasons- ones he hadn't come to terms with himself yet. With a smirk, Freddie reminded himself that John was only a flower around them. In public, John was quiet, but he could show his thorns when people were wearing on his nerves. 

Freddie looked down at the man pressed so tightly against him. It was different than anything else he had ever experienced in bed. Somehow, cradling John so gently was more intimate than any other acts he done while in bed with another. His experimental flings before never lasted long enough for a cuddle. Freddie didn't want them anyways. Why would he want to hold a simpering, fame-crazed harlot after an hour or so of stress-relieving activities? It didn't interest him at all.  No, cuddling felt too personal for that. 

The singer was making himself exhausted with his own thoughts, not to mention the swirl of questions he still had about John's fit. He'd definitely be bringing it up later, just not when the guitarist was still so fragile about the topic. For the moment, he decided to bask in the gentle affection of another as well. Freddie fell asleep humming to the beat of John's heart.


	2. There At Your Side

"Fred? Fred, wake up." Someone was nudging him. Freddie groaned quietly in an attempt to dissuade the person from bothering him any longer. It didn't work. The hand on his shoulder only pushed harder, and Freddie quickly became fed up enough to open one of his eyes.

"What?" was his initial snappy response. Roger rolled his eyes and straightened up, moving his gaze between the two bodies in the bed in an obvious manner. Freddie nearly threw a pillow at the drummer's head when he saw Roger smirk. 

"What?" Freddie repeated, his hackles rising. John shifted beside him at the noise, causing Freddie to pull him closer in hopes of keeping him asleep. The close call only made Freddie more irritated.

"How did you end up like this?" Roger inquired curiously, looking at John again. He could see clear evidence that John had been crying, and was immediately concerned. His brows pulled together. "What happened?"

"He had a nightmare," Freddie said with a sigh, his temper cooling. He rubbed at his eyes. John pushed closer when one of the hands that had been holding him so close disappeared. Freddie quickly replaced it. 

"A nightmare? And he came to  _you_?" Roger couldn't resist teasing the singer. They all knew Freddie was the first person John turned to when he was upset. Freddie didn't grant Roger's joke a response. Instead, he squinted at the clock on the wall. It was about the time they usually ate dinner. He assumed that was the reason Roger had woken him up, and Freddie's stomach growled quietly at the thought of food. 

"We'll be down in a minute." As he spoke, Freddie gave Roger a pointed look to let the matter rest for the time being. The last thing John needed was to be overwhelmed again. Roger saw the look and nodded, turning on his heel to leave the room. Before he closed the door behind him, he told Freddie that there was no rush.

Freddie sighed to himself as he relaxed against the pillows again. They needed to eat, but Freddie didn't want to move, and he didn't want to disturb John. The poor man truly did need his rest, though he also needed food. The singer stared at John's peaceful features as he thought about the best option. They could always eat later, but they were more likely to forget. He lightly trailed his fingers over John's cheek as he thought, admiring the softness of his skin. Everything about John was incredibly soft. 

John's eyelids fluttered for only a second before his grey-green eyes were revealed to the world. Freddie could see light shadows on his cheeks that indicated just how tired John was. He supposed it was for the best that John was awake. This way, the man could eat quickly and then get back to sleep. 

Freddie watched for a full minute as sleep faded from John's eyes, bringing about their usual brightness. John blinked quickly when the tired fog lifted from his brain and was replaced with relief. Freddie was still there! They were still at the farmhouse! Maybe his death had all been a dream.

"How are you feeling, my dear?" 

"Better," John replied quietly, ducking his head to cover a small cough. His throat was raw from crying so hard. 

"Dinner is ready for us downstairs if you feel up to eating," Freddie offered, allowing John to make the decision. John thought about it. He hadn't eaten for nearly an entire day...Or had he? Everything was still so mixed up in his head. At least he knew that he was hungry. John nodded.

Freddie slowly pulled away from John so they could climb out of the bed, giving the bassist plenty of time to protest. The other man allowed him to pull away, but his soft hands caught Freddie's before the singer could move too far. When Freddie looked down at John for an explanation, the other man only bit his lip and gave him a pleading look that Freddie couldn't bring himself to deny. 

Giving the hands a light tug, Freddie managed to coax John out of bed. Their eyes met again when they faced each other fully, and before Freddie understood what was happening, John was hugging him again. His own arms closed around John's lean frame instinctively.

"I was sure I would wake up and you'd be...gone," John whispered with a trembling voice. Feeling Freddie again, the singer's body too solid to belong to his imagination, brought back the relief John had felt when he first woke up. 

"Never, darling." It was a simple promise with substantial meaning. Freddie's words gave John hope. He was determined to do all he could to keep the terrible future (or was it a dream) from happening. 

Freddie kept up their hug until John started to pull back. He instantly missed the welcomed weight of the bassist leaning against him, but their hands stayed entwined, so he couldn't complain. It wasn't like Freddie was anywhere near strong enough to support John's body while they walked to the dining room anyway. 

"Finally!" Roger whined loudly just because he could before plopping himself down in his chair at the table. "Brian wouldn't let me start without you two."

"Don't be so selfish, Rog. You've barely been waiting five minutes--" Brian's words were cut off by more of Roger's whines.

"Seven minutes! I've been counting," the blond told them all with a childish huff. He wasted no more time tucking into his food. Freddie didn't blame him; Brian's cooking was always delicious. 

John cracked a smile at his friends' antics. Seeing them this way was much better than the waves of extreme sadness he'd felt coming from them when they found out about Freddie's passing. Before he could think about it any longer, John sat down in his usual spot between Freddie and Brian and served himself some food without letting go of Freddie's hand. 

Freddie grinned when he saw the small smile. It was progress. "A pig as always, Rog."

"Shut it, Fred," Roger warned between large bites. Freddie chuckled and draped himself in his chair between John and the blond drummer. John secretly marveled at Freddie's grace. Being sick had made it hard for the other Freddie to move, so it was wonderful to see him move without limitations. 

Freddie and Roger's playful banter continued without rest throughout the delicious meal. John and Brian were more than content to sit back and enjoy the show with smiles growing on both of their faces. John missed the worried look Brian sent him in the middle of it all as the guitarist checked him over. Roger had told Brian about John having a nightmare bad enough to make him cry and sleep in Freddie's bed. Even now, he could see that the two were holding hands. To show his silent support, Brian lightly grasped John's shoulder.

John stopped his eating to look up at Brian questioningly. Brian only gave him another squeeze and a smile before dropping his hand. It wasn't overwhelming. Brian was just letting John know he was there. It wasn't as suffocating as the hug older Brian had tried to give him back at Freddie's place. John smiled back at him before picking up his fork again.

"Anyone up for some fun in the studio? My sticks are begging to be touched." Roger winked after saying this. Freddie laughed while John blushed and Brian sputtered.

"A bit of playing does sound good. What about you, Fred? I heard you tapping your keys earlier," Brian said as he stood up to take care of the dishes.

Freddie didn't make a move to stand and help, choosing to relax in his chair instead. He hummed in agreement before saying, "I suppose we should get something done today."

"And you, John?" Brian asked quietly, speaking slowly. John's lips formed a thin line when he noticed the way they were all looking at him as if they were waiting for him to reveal a secret.

"C'mon, Deacy. Don't be the odd man out." Roger gave him another wink as he stood up to help Brian. Well, more like he stood up to pretend to help Brian so he could bother the taller brunet instead.

John thought about it. Strumming did sound rather therapeutic at the moment, but there was still a nagging fatigue at the back of his mind. He was tired and knew he wouldn't be much help if they ended up writing something while they were fooling around.

"How about you sit with me and listen?" Freddie's voice was soft near his ear. John looked over at him and nodded. That sounded much better than actually attempting to be productive. He could relax on the piano bench while the others played, and simply enjoy himself. It was a plus that he wouldn't have to be separated from Freddie. No matter how real everything seemed, John was still apprehensive about letting the singer out of his sight.

"I'll come," John announced to Brian and Roger who were still staring at him. They both smiled and continued on with their tasks.

Just as John was about to stand and help by taking care of his own dishes, Freddie gave his hand a tug to prompt him out of his chair. As soon as he stood, he was being dragged towards the studio. 

"Don't be long, dears!" Freddie called over their shoulders with a cheeky smile.

While sitting on the bench with Freddie and listening to the others play had sounded like a good idea at first, John partially regretted the decision once he was there. Each of them were playing their own thing, testing out quiet rhythms to see if they had anything that could be of use. The sounds were lulling John to sleep, and he had a difficult time trying not to sway and fall off of the bench. 

He didn't realize he was drifting again until a warm arm wrapped securely around him. His eyes snapped open, and he looked around. Freddie was supporting his weight with one arm, his expert hands still flying over the keys on either side of him. It was impressive to say the least, but he felt bad about making the singer hold him up. 

"Sorry."

"Hush." Freddie said nothing more to him. John frowned a little at the tone Freddie had taken with him. He was about to apologize again when Freddie pulled him closer and started humming along with the piano in his ear. It took a moment for his tired brain to catch up, but he eventually realized that Freddie was trying to get the song in his head out before he forgot it. John didn't have a problem staying quiet then. The humming pushed him towards sleep again.

"Wow he really is tired," Roger said quietly to Freddie once John was down for the count. Freddie didn't look up at him as he balanced the bassist while attempting to write down the lyrics that popped into his head. It was uncomfortable and difficult to keep up, but Freddie wasn't about to let himself forget the words.

"We should get him back to the house." It was Brian who spoke this time. He took the strap of his guitar off of his shoulder so he could put it on its stand.

Freddie held up a hand to stop them both from coming closer, his free hand hurrying to jot down the rest of his thoughts. As soon as he was finished, he set the paper down on top of his piano and wrapped both arms around John. "I'm going to need help getting him to his room."

"I'm awake," John mumbled none too convincingly. Quiet laughter could be heard around the room. It was clear the others didn't quite believe him. 

"Well, then we better move before you drift off again, my dear," Freddie commented as he stood from the bench with his arms still around the bassist. It took a great amount of effort on both ends to get John properly standing again, but when they managed, John felt alert enough to drag himself to bed. Roger and Brian followed behind them, shutting off the lights as they left. It was late enough for all of them to retire anyways. 

Without even thinking about it, Freddie moved John towards the stairs to his upstairs bedroom instead of John's basement room. John was too tired to notice until they were already halfway up. 

"Fred...?"

"Yes, darling?" the singer asked without looking.

"Why are you taking me to your room again?" 

Freddie hesitated for less than a second, and John didn't notice a thing. "It's no wonder you've been having nightmares while sleeping in that wretched room. You'll be much more comfortable in here, and I'll be near in case you wake up frightened again." 

What Freddie didn't say was that he wanted John to be with him in bed again. It had felt so great to hold someone who didn't judge him. John had truthfully slept so peacefully while they were resting together, and Freddie had to admit that his own slumber was better. Freddie mentally stomped down the part of him that wished their friendly touches could mean something more. John was his friend, and Freddie wasn't going to betray his trust. He was going to help John sleep and that was it. 

"Can I borrow some pajamas, Fred? I don't think I'll make it downstairs to grab any." John sat on the bed as soon as they were close enough. It wasn't a big deal for them to share clothes. They had done it often enough backstage either on accident or on purpose. Of course, it was hard for Brian to share with any of them, but John, Freddie, and Roger were close enough in size that they could swap any piece of clothing without issue. 

Freddie only nodded, checking on the bassist to make sure he was stable before going to pull two sets of sleep clothes out of the closet. He passed John one of his larger shirts, then grabbed a pair of silk pajama pants for himself. He heard John pad off towards the bathroom to quickly change and ready himself for bed, so Freddie took the opportunity to change as well and think some things over. 

The melody of the song he had been working on came back to him as his mind flooded with thoughts of John again.  _'...you don't know what it means to me.'_ Freddie sighed to himself and shook away the thoughts as John came out of the bathroom.

It wasn't a surprise that the younger man quickly climbed into bed again. He looked like he was asleep again already. Quietly, so as not to disturb the exhausted musician, Freddie tip-toed over to his side and climbed in as well. John was, in fact, not asleep. Freddie knew this because John reached over and took his hand as soon as they were settled. The singer opened his mouth to say something, but John's breathing was already evened out. Asleep again at last.

Freddie watched him for a few minutes, his mind wandering over his feelings. Should he bring them up to John so the other man could crush them and they could move on, or would that only make John upset? For the moment, Freddie was content enough to keep his feelings a secret. As long as it didn't hurt anybody, there was no harm in a simple crush. 

As Freddie drifted off himself, he idly hummed his latest project again. He wondered if the others would know who he was singing about. He doubted it.  _'Love of my life...You've hurt me...'_


	3. Don't Leave Me

Though falling asleep had been easy enough, staying asleep was a whole other issue for Freddie. He tossed and turned, waking up every half hour until around two a.m. when he gave up. His mind wasn't settled enough to allow him a peaceful rest, and he knew exactly why that was.    


The singer turned on his side to look at John. The younger man was still sleeping away, completely oblivious to the plight his friend was going through. Freddie felt an aching need to cradle the bassist, and he quickly got out of bed before his mind could supply him with any more images.

He threw on some clothes before going downstairs to fix himself a cup of coffee. He needed the warmth more than the caffeine, but wasn't in the mood for tea. He needed something bitter on his tongue to get his mind off of things. By the time his cup was full, Freddie knew there was only one thing that could clear his mind; he needed to work out his frustrations on the bench.

He turned around to head out to the studio barn when he caught something moving in the corner. His brows furrowed in confusion. "Hello?"

"I didn't mean to disturb you," came Paul's voice. He hadn't been around the day before, supposedly off doing something for management before coming back. Freddie figured the man must have just gotten in, seeing as Paul still had a jacket and shoes on.

"No, no. Nothing to disturb here. Just a bit of an overactive imagination at play. I can't sleep, so I've decided to write."

"Would you...mind if I joined you?" Paul walked forward out of the shadows of the room, finally revealing himself. Freddie raised a brow at the question. It was an odd request, but he'd heard odder. 

"I don't see why not." His acceptance was more so from the fact that Paul was a grown man who could do whatever he wanted, and the studio not being Freddie's to control than it was from actually wanting Paul around. Freddie had been hoping for some privacy with his thoughts so he could think through them without a beautiful distraction sleeping right next to him. Oh well. It wasn't like Paul was going to figure out his secrets after a single writing session.

Paul perked up when he heard that, a large smile growing on his face. He nodded towards the door as if to hurry Freddie along. The singer had no idea why Paul was excited, but it was obvious he was. With a sigh, Freddie took a sip of his coffee and headed out towards the barn. 

Only a few lights over the piano were turned on, making the room dim, and setting the tone of Freddie's process. Paul sat across the room in a plush chair not too far from the piano. Freddie ignored him for the sake of getting started. He picked up his lyric notes in one hand, setting them behind the keys so he could read them as he played. Freddie mentally snorted. As if he could forget the words that had been playing through his head every time he looked at John. 

Freddie let his fingers lead him, bringing back the melody he had desperately clung to while John had rested in his arms. Even without words, the song reminded Freddie of the bassist's soft, gentle nature. Nothing could ever do John justice, but he was going to try.

He hummed first, getting the beats just right, before following it up with words. As he sang, occasionally pausing to replace or add words to the paper, he completely forgot about Paul. His focus was entirely on the feelings John brought about in him, feelings he hadn't even realized he had until he was utterly infatuated. They'd always been incredibly close, turning to each other for comfort and companionship before anyone else. That wasn't to say that they had blocked out Roger and Brian. On the contrary, Brian and Roger were usually the ones having endearing arguments while Freddie and John enjoyed the entertainment together. They were all always together, and Freddie enjoyed every moment of it. How deep his feelings were had only really become apparent when John had raced up the steps the day before and launched himself at him. In that moment, Freddie had only felt a deep concern, a pressing protectiveness, and an unbridled rage at whoever had hurt John. He felt a little foolish when he found out it had only been a nightmare, but the feelings didn't go away. Freddie had to wonder if they were always there. By the time he made his way back to the chorus of his new song, he realized that they had been. 

Freddie mused that being in a romantic relationship with John wouldn't be that different from their current friendship. They'd always been touchy-feely with each other. Never enough to cuddle in bed like they had just earlier, but now that boundary was crossed and Freddie hoped there was no going back. Perhaps they'd spend more of their time staring at each other longingly in a way that would make Roger gag. Freddie would like that. 

"That was beautiful." The voice jolted Freddie out of his thoughts abruptly, his hands pausing over the keys as his smile fell from his face. Oh yeah. He'd forgotten about Paul. 

"Thank you," Freddie said, not paying him much mind as he reached for his pencil to finish writing the song. It had come together wonderfully. He couldn't wait to share it with his friends, especially John. It would be his way of making his feelings known without being too obvious about it. 

Paul didn't just let the subject drop like Freddie had been hoping. Instead, he came over, put out his cigarette in the ashtray on top of the piano, and glanced at the piece of paper littered in writing. "Did you write that for someone?"

Freddie nodded. "A dear friend of mine." It was true. No matter if John rejected him or not, Freddie would keep him close. John was too much of a treasure to be left. 

"If you say so," Paul commented. There was a look in his eyes that Freddie didn't like. He only had a split second to ponder what that look could mean before another pair of lips were on his. He was too shocked to respond at first, but that didn't keep Paul from clutching his face and moving his lips against Freddie's still ones. Only when Freddie felt Paul's lips part slightly did he roughly pull back, their breathing ragged. 

"You misunderstand," Freddie breathed out, attempting to quickly settle his frazzled nerves. 

Paul rolled his eyes. He'd witnessed Freddie making hungry eyes at plenty of men. He was sure the singer was at least somewhat interested. How could Freddie resist what was right in front of him? Paul doubted he could. "I know you, Freddie Mercury."

Freddie laughed, taking his thumb and wiping away any evidence of their kiss. "Is that what you think? Oh no. You only see what you want to see. If you knew me, you'd know that I particularly dislike others around my piano. Please leave." 

"What? C'mon, Freddie. No one is around. There's nothing to be ashamed of," Paul pressed, leaning in for another kiss. This time Freddie was having none of it. He stood quickly and moved out of the way, causing Paul to stumble a little. 

"Leave before I make you," Freddie warned. He wasn't exactly sure what he was going to do, but he knew it wasn't going to be pretty. He was better at hiding his anger than Roger was, but his patience only lasted so long. Paul was just about to argue again when a hesitant voice made them both freeze. 

"Fred?" John stepped around the corner slowly, his eyes wider than usual. Freddie could see the panic in them and he mentally cursed himself. If Paul hadn't bothered him, he would have been back at John's side in bed already, song finished and mind relaxed. Anger bubbled inside of him again, and he took a moment to give Paul a deadly glare.  _'Make him upset, and you die,'_ he said with his eyes. 

"What are you doing awake, darling? You were perfectly asleep when I left you." They moved forward at the same time, meeting each other half way. John was relieved to see that Freddie was safe inside of the studio. When he'd woken up alone, he'd assumed he was sent back to Freddie's house that terrible day. Now that they were close enough, Freddie could see some redness in John's eyes. 

"I could ask you the same thing," John muttered, his eyes briefly moving over Paul before returning to Freddie. His cheeks turned an endearing pink, and Freddie was upset that Paul was there to see it. John was incredibly shy, never one for enjoying being in the spotlight much. Freddie enjoyed it enough for the both of them, after all. Freddie could tell John was holding back because of the other man. It irked him to no end. 

"I had that song stuck in my head. My brain wouldn't allow me a moment of peace until I saw to it that it was written. I'm all finished now, my dear. Time to go back to bed."

John nodded, but there were questions in his eyes. Freddie could tell John was suspicious if that was the entire story, but he wasn't about to bring anything up with Paul still around. Without caring if Paul could see (more like enjoying the fact that Paul had to witness it), Freddie wrapped an arm around John's shoulders and guided him out of the barn. 

"Don't forget to turn off the lights," Freddie called over his shoulder. 

Paul angrily kicked the wall once he was alone. Freddie was generous with his attention and affections with everyone but him. It wasn't fair, and it made no sense. Why would Freddie be more comfortable caring for an emotional wreck of a man like John when he could have Paul? Stable, steady Paul who was quite proud of his looks. His eyes flashed, and he turned back towards the piano to tear apart that ridiculous sheet of lyrics. There was nothing there. Freddie had swiped it at some point as if he had known that Paul was going to try and destroy his work. 

"Bloody rotter," Paul muttered as he walked out of the building, turning off all of the lights, and locking up behind him. The moment with John kept repeating in his mind. Freddie had had his back towards Paul, but Paul didn't need to see his face to know the singer was giving John one of those soft, indulgent looks. Freddie always looked at John like that, as if he wanted to spoil the bassist to his heart's content. If only John were out of the picture, Paul was sure Freddie would be desperate enough to turn to him for attention. Paul grinned. Yes. All he needed to do was make John think Freddie hated him, then use John's upset emotions to his advantage to make the bassist leave Freddie alone. Freddie would then be heartbroken and looking for comfort. Paul would be there as a broad shoulder to cry on. Freddie needed someone to take care of him, not the other way around, though Paul wouldn't protest being spoiled either. 

The closer they got to the bedroom, the cuddlier John became. By the time they reached the door, their arms were wrapped tightly around each other, and John was resting part of his weight against Freddie with his head on the older man's shoulder. Freddie smiled to himself, glad that Paul was out of the way so this side of John could come free. 

"You left me alone," John whispered as Freddie started to change back into his pajamas. John's words from the day before came rushing back. Freddie remembered something about John saying he didn't have the chance to say goodbye. He felt like an idiot for leaving John when he felt vulnerable, but he hadn't wanted to ruin John's rest. He needed sleep so badly after his emotional day. 

"I'm sorry, John. I thought you were too deeply asleep to notice my absence. I would have much rather had you with me, I promise." It was the truth. Freddie would have much preferred John's company in the barn over Paul's. He wouldn't have minded John hanging around his piano. 

John blushed and curled up as he had back at Freddie's house, pushing himself against the headboard to take up the least amount of space possible. His eyes peeked up to watch Freddie change his shirt before quickly dropping again when Freddie began slipping off his pants. He couldn't recognize the feelings that were racing through his chest. There was a constant fear there that hadn't completely left since he'd suddenly appeared in the farmhouse, but the others were too foreign. All he knew was that the thought of Freddie leaving him made his stomach turn painfully. He felt ridiculous for his childish thoughts, but he couldn't help them. 

"It's okay," John told him. He felt the bed dip in front of him, and looked up to see Freddie's smiling face. He couldn't help his own smile when he saw Freddie's overbite. The singer was on all fours in front of him, looking rather like a cat getting ready to pounce. Laughter tickled John's throat before it came tumbling out of his mouth. Freddie only smiled wider. 

"It's not okay, but I'll make it up to you. We'll sleep in as long as you'd like, and then I have a surprise for you when we finally roll out of bed." Freddie held up the lyric sheet for a second before tucking it away behind his back. It was there and gone before John could read even a single word, and it only made him exceedingly curious. Both promises sounded wonderful, even if John wanted to hear what exactly Freddie had been up to so early in the morning right away. He could wait if it was as good as Freddie was making it out to be. How could it not be?

"Sing it to me. Just the melody," John insisted. "Please?"

Freddie smirked and shook his head, reaching over to place the sheet safely in the drawer in the nightstand. He knew John wouldn't try to peek at it. It wasn't in the bassist's nature. "Perhaps if you go back to sleep, I could hum a small part of it."

"I'm not laying down until you're laying down." John wasn't about to let Freddie creep out of his sight again. 

"Of course, darling," Freddie obliged. He rolled over, turning off the bedside lamp, before climbing under the covers as he had before. John eased his body beneath the comforter with a sigh. It was much warmer in the bed than it had been walking outside in only his sleep clothes. Well, Freddie's sleep clothes. 

They lay facing each other for a few silent moments, each on either end of the bed. A feeling passed between them as their eyes connected. They wasted no time moving closer to one another, John clinging to Freddie's shirt as he had wanted to do since he had found the singer in the studio, and Freddie wrapping his arms around the bassist tightly. They assured themselves that they weren't leaving. John closed his eyes in relief just as Freddie started humming. He recognized the melody as the one Freddie had been playing earlier when they were all in the studio. It was the perfect thing to send John back to sleep, and Freddie found that having John in his arms was enough to quiet his mind for the moment.


	4. Love Of My Life

Paul was beyond angry. His first plan had backfired. After going back to the house and going to sleep, the man had woken up ready to take action. His first step? Talk to John before the others woke up.

He planned on getting John all worked up while talking to him as if he were just a good friend trying to keep him happy. He would tell the bassist that it was in his best interest to leave Freddie before Freddie inevitably left him. Paul was sure it would have worked too if it weren't for the fact that John _wasn't in his room._

Currently, Paul was stomping up the stairs towards the other rooms, not quite sure what his next plan was. It didn't matter. He was going to confirm his thoughts one way or another. Sure that Freddie was going to be deeply asleep after his oddly early session, Paul wasn't worried about opening the door to the singer's room. He turned the knob as quietly as possible and pushed it open, revealing a scene that only made his blood boil more.

Freddie was wrapped so securely around John that Paul wondered how the bassist was even breathing, their bodies molding together in such a way that there was only one lump under the blankets.

 _'I should be the one he holds like that,'_ Paul thought to himself. A pleasant image entered his mind of Freddie squeezing John to death by accident. The singer would be devastated, and walk right into Paul's arms. With that thought in mind, his feet moved on their own, pushing him to step into the room in hopes of seeing the mental scene play out before his very eyes.

The floorboard squeaked under his shoe, and Paul froze. His wide eyes flashed over to the bed to see if he had been caught. Unfortunately, he saw something that made his stomach turn. John started to squirm in his sleep when he heard the noise, a small sound slipping from between his lips that prompted Freddie's eyes to snap open. Freddie didn't notice Paul right away, too focused on the thin body in his grasp.

"Hush, darling," Freddie groggily told the still sleeping John as he pulled the younger man closer. He hoped it wasn't a nightmare. He was still exhausted from his first terrible attempt at sleep, and he didn't think his mind was awake enough to completely comfort John. Luckily for the singer, John relaxed almost immediately. Freddie sighed and tucked himself against John once more.

Paul thought he was going to get off scot free when a pair of sleepy brown eyes met his. Freddie was sitting up in his bed in less than a second, all traces of fatigue gone from his body.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" Freddie asked scathingly.

"I-I came to see if you were awake yet," Paul lied somewhat smoothly. His voice trembled in the beginning because of the sharp stab of fear he felt. Never before had he seen Freddie look so enraged. It was terrifying coming from the usually upbeat singer.

Just as in the studio, they were interrupted by John before either could say anything else. When Freddie sat up, he had released the bassist, pulling John out of his sleep. John blinked tiredly up at Freddie for a moment before turning his head to see what the singer was looking at. When the younger man saw Paul there, so oddly close to the bed, he sat up as well, his nerves fluttering in an unpleasant way. After earlier that morning, John couldn't say he ever wanted Paul that close to him again. "What's going on?"

Freddie looked like he was about to snap and tackle the moustached creep. He wished he could, but John was more important. "He was just leaving, my dear. You need your rest. Go back to sleep."

John frowned at the tone. He didn't want to be kept out of the loop, and he was feeling much better after a few hours of fantastic sleep. Feeling the small rush of confidence that Freddie's presence always gave him, he shook his head and looked between the two. "What's going on?"

"Freddie's right. Go back to sleep, John," Paul told him, his voice even snappier than Freddie's. John had been a little miffed at Freddie's words, but hearing the same from Paul made his eyes narrow dangerously.

Before Freddie could stop him, John was up and out of the bed, walking over to Paul without hesitation. He stared the other brunet down, and Paul had to wonder where the sensitive creature in Freddie's tight embrace had gone. This wasn't the John he was used to.

"Leave. Now." John pointed towards the door.

"I was only here to--"

"I don't care! Get out!" Somehow John was frightening even with sleep-mused hair.

Paul, pulling at his faux bravado, looked over at Freddie as if to ask him to control the bassist. Freddie only raised a brow and said, "You heard him."

Paul tried his best to glare back at John before he stomped out of the room, purposely slamming the bedroom door behind him. He could be heard stomping back down the stairs.

John felt protective. He didn't want any harm to come to Freddie. The line he had drawn around reality was becoming more blurred by the second, and the feeling only put John on edge. No matter what version of his life was real or not, he wasn't going to let Freddie become hurt again. His brows pinched together as he thought about that. What exactly had hurt Freddie...? Before he could try to remember his dream (which had become oddly foggy), John was pulled back to Earth by a pair of warm arms. He relaxed in the embrace immediately, his body assuring itself that Freddie was safe with him. They were safe with each other.

"Come back to bed, John," Freddie muttered behind him. John blushed at the way it sounded. Their friendship had always been one of close affection, but they had never gone this far. It brought a pleasant feeling to the pit of John's stomach, but it also brought about a few butterflies. He didn't recognize the second feeling; he'd never felt it before. That didn't matter, though, because he wasn't going to deny himself a moment with Freddie.

John nodded and turned around to move back to the bed, but Freddie stood there blocking his path. He lifted his gaze to meet Freddie's, only for a bright blush to light up his cheeks. The way Freddie was looking at him made him want to squirm in place. John didn't know if that was a good thing or not. "Wh-What?"

"You're fascinating, my dear. I believe I've been underestimating you," Freddie said, though he seemed to be speaking to himself more than John.

"What do you mean?"

"You have such a ferocity, yet you avoid confrontation. It's quite enamoring to see you like that." Freddie gave him a smile before turning away to slip under the covers again.

John's blush didn't lessen even a fraction as he walked forward to do the same. The truth was, John didn't like bringing out that side of himself. It frightened people off. It was hard to get him worked up enough to show it, but having Paul speaking down to him had pushed him over the edge. Only his friends were allowed to be so casual with him, and only Freddie was allowed to treat John like a fragile flower. Knowing that Freddie wasn't perturbed with that frightening side of him even after seeing John's more vulnerable, emotional side made him happy. Freddie was the person John was most afraid of pushing away.

"Don't worry, darling. I think you've sufficiently scared him shitless," Freddie joked quietly as they settled in the middle of the mattress again. As soon as John was close enough, the singer wrapped a tight arm around him. John felt himself calming again, his gentler personality returning as Freddie treated him like a treasure.

"You're tired," John pointed out when he noticed the redness in Freddie's eyes. He didn't want to speak of Paul any longer.

"I was woken up from a rather good rest," Freddie reminded with a smile before yawning.

"Were you having a good dream?"

"Oh, yes, a very good dream indeed. One about a certain brunet with long fingers..."

"Should I tell Brian that you've been dreaming about him?" John asked with a cheeky smile. "I don't know if he'll find that flattering."

"Oh, shut it, you!" Freddie playfully pulled at his hair before settling again. There was a pleasant silence after that, and they watched each other as their eyes began to droop again. Neither felt the need to talk about their growing closeness. Just like everything else in their lives, they were content with going with the flow. How could they not when the current felt so lovely?

~

"You promised me a surprise." Freddie looked up from his plate of breakfast when he heard John's voice. The bassist was pouring himself a cup of tea, his slim back turned towards Freddie as the singer sat at the breakfast bar.

"I recall I did," the singer said with a smile.

"Is it just for me, or should I gather Brian and Roger?" John raised a brow at the older musician as he turned around. He rested easily against the countertop while he looked at Freddie from over his teacup.

"That is entirely up to you, my dear. They'll hear it soon enough, but it is _your_ surprise." Freddie worried he was being too obvious, but quickly shook it off. This was no time to chicken out. As long as he was able to get everything off of his chest, he would be content even with rejection.

Of course, there were a million other things rushing through his head, all of them involving his feelings for John. Freddie had known he was at least bisexual for a while before there time at the farm, but he had confirmed his homosexuality earlier that morning while writing the new song. It had been hard to ignore when he let his mind travel as it had. The things he wanted to do with John...to John. Freddie nearly blushed. No denying it, then.

The thoughts were quite daunting, but one look up at John's open face had Freddie shutting down all of his ridiculous fears right then. No matter what, John was going to be in his life. Even if it was just as friends, they'd stick together. Just like Roger and Brian would stay by his side when they found out about him being gay. Freddie shuddered at the thought of doing anything with them. His mind idly supplied words for both men that Freddie thought described his lack of attraction for them perfectly. ' _Brat_ ' for Roger, who would no doubt get on Freddie's nerves. ' _Top_ ' for Brian, because there was simply no way that giant was a bottom.

Freddie sipped at his coffee, sparing John a sly glance. He smiled to himself as he watched John bob his head to an invisible beat at the stove as he fixed himself a plate. John was perfect. The lithe bassist would enjoy the comfort and control Freddie desperately needed to supply to his partner. He wanted to shower them with love and affection. Others would find it insulting and overwhelming to be taken care of in such a way, but John had always been one to follow instead of lead. Not that John couldn't take care of himself. Oh no. Freddie never doubted that. It only made him happier to know that John was only a fragile little thing when around him. It gave Freddie a rush.

"Fred? Freddie, are you listening?"

Freddie blinked rapidly as he was pulled out of his thoughts. He realized that John was quite close to his face, the younger man's eyebrows pressed together in concern. How long had he been standing there? "I'm sorry, dear. What were you saying?"

"I said that I'd like to take my surprise by myself, if that's okay?" John tilted his head just enough to be noticeable.

"Of course, darling. I told you it was your surprise. Finish your breakfast, and then we'll head over to the studio."

John nodded and backed away to sit beside the singer. Freddie was nervous about opening himself up to someone, but he couldn't be tense around John. The bassist's presence was too calming even if they didn't share another word for the rest of their meal.

Once finished, John did the dishes without complaint, then moved towards the door of the house, glancing behind himself once to make sure Freddie was following. No sense in wasting time. Freddie, who had gone upstairs to get his lyric sheet while John was busy cleaning, followed after him with a tense smile. It was now or never, and Freddie wasn't going to let a few nerves get in the way.

"Are you ready?" Freddie asked when they were both seated at the piano, more so to himself than to John. The bassist nodded anyways, an encouraging smile on his face. When Freddie saw that smile, he knew he couldn't back away if he tried. He needed the precious being beside him to know how he felt.

John listened to the piano keys silently, absorbing the sound and waiting for the words to start. He kept his eyes away from Freddie's lyric sheet to make it a true surprise, but he couldn't help but feel like he'd already heard this song before. The thought made his forehead wrinkle a bit. The words were on the tip of his tongue. John felt like he should know it already, but how could that be possible?

"Love of my life, you've hurt me." This was it. Freddie was laying himself out to be taken or given as John pleased. There was no turning back.

Midway through the song, John had to bite his lip to keep tears from spilling out of his eyes. Freddie's voice was always so beautiful, but there was something different about it when he sang the new song. He noticed that the singer kept glancing at him out of the corner of his eye as if trying to tell him something. What was it?

The song neared its close, and Freddie's heart was pounding. Every time he looked over, John had the same expression on his face. Did the other man know what the song was about? Was he thinking about how to react? Freddie swallowed thickly in preparation as the last few notes slipped out of the piano and into the air.

They stared at each other for a long time, their eyes locked tightly. Freddie was trying to convey his emotions while John was trying to understand his own. The bassist felt a tingling sensation over his entire body, and his cheeks were pleasantly warm. He remembered thinking that he never wanted Freddie to leave him again, that he never wanted to give anyone the chance to hurt Freddie again. He took a shuddering breath as his emotions crescendoed.

They kissed.

It was soft and intense- a perfect example of the love they felt for each other. Freddie gently cupped John's face while John held tightly to Freddie's wrists, desperate to not let him get away. Their lips moved together shyly as they both ached to express their feelings without chasing the other off. As if they ever could.

"John, you're crying." Freddie frowned. That wasn't supposed to happen.

John looked up at Freddie as his emotions rushed through him again. He felt the tears roll down his cheeks, and he sniffled. Before Freddie could even think about apologizing, John whispered, "I'm happy." Because he was. He still didn't know quite what he was feeling towards his friend, but whatever it was, he liked it, and he wasn't about to let Freddie think that he didn't.

"So, you understand, then? This song...it's for you, John..." the singer explained delicately.

"I understand...Thank you, Freddie. It's lovely. Truly." John never thought anyone could feel such a way about him. Plain little Deacy was rarely ever the one in the band to catch the eyes of others. Briefly, John thought to himself that he didn't want anyone but Freddie to look at him anyways.

Freddie smiled and leaned forward, his nerves settling. He could hear John hold his breath, and he found it absolutely adorable. Instead of kissing him again, he gently nuzzled the side of John's face, taking in the ticklish laughter his actions envoked like a drug. "Love of my life..."

John wrapped his arms around Freddie's shoulders with a large grin on his face. If anyone else had treated him the way Freddie was, he probably would have faught them. He wasn't a piece of glass, or a tightly-wound string that could break at any moment. But the way Freddie held him, cuddled him, soothed him didn't make John upset. He was happy to receive it all, because he knew Freddie was never like this with anyone else either. They were both completely vulnerable with each other in a way that made neither of them worry. They just _were_. That's all they had to be.

"I love you too, Freddie." It was different from the feelings of friendship he shared with Roger and Brian. Having never been in love before, it had taken a while for John to recognize what exactly he was feeling. Once he knew, he knew.

An image of a woman and two young boys flashed through John's head for a split second, but he didn't recognize them. Freddie tighening his arms around him made it easy to forget them.

"Every time I sing this, it will be to you," Freddie promised as they slowly pulled out of their hug. Before they could get too far apart, the singer held John's chin in his fingers and ran the pad of his thumb over his thin lips. "Now, what do you say we drag the others in so they can complain about our sappy romance?"

John blushed from his ears to his chest. It was so easy to be like this with Freddie, but he worried about what the others would think. He must have had a look of serious panic on his face, because Freddie pulled him into another embrace and stroked his hair.

"No need to be so frightened, darling. They are our friends- our best friends, in fact. Who knows? Maybe they have their own secret love story they'd like to share with us?"

Freddie's joke and wiggling eyebrows were exactly what John needed to calm himself. The younger brunet laughed and shook his head, playfully shoving Freddie's shoulder. Freddie only grinned at him widely and kept him close.

As more laughter filled the studio (Freddie had taken to tickling the bassist again), the lovebirds neglected to notice a presence just within their line of sight. Paul stood there watching the pair with dangerous eyes. That was supposed to be _his_ song, _his_ love confession. Paul swore to himself to make John regret ever being a part of Freddie's life.

 


	5. What It Means To Me

"So...you're both gay?" Freddie and John nodded at the same time. Brian nodded slowly, obviously trying to digest the new information. The guitarist wasn't shocked with Freddie's confession, but John's had certainly taken them by surprise.

"And you're....together now?" Roger questioned as he eyed their connected hands.

Freddie could feel John begin to tremble slightly, so he gave his hand a squeeze and answered for the both of them. "Yes. As of just a few moments ago."

The two had stayed on the piano bench for nearly an hour, mostly to work up the nerve to tell their friends. In the end, Freddie had dragged John along with him back to the house before either of them could really chicken out. The singer explained the basics to Brian and Roger in a rush, barely able to get all of the words out.

"Well, it's a bit of a shocker, you two, but I can't say I'm absolutely taken by surprise," Brian added with one of his kind smiles. John instantly relaxed.

"Not with how  _close_  you two have been the past couple days." Roger smirked to himself before reaching over to ruffle John's hair. John groaned and moved closer to Freddie in hopes of being protected. Freddie batted Roger's hand away.

The truth was, Freddie and John were never far from each other. Even before the whole nightmare incident, the singer and the bassist had naturally gravitated towards each other. They balanced each other out perfectly. John kept Freddie calm, and Freddie kept John from becoming overwhelmed with everything. They all knew John wouldn't have been able to handle the life of a blooming rockstar without their constant support. The bassist could be quite ruthless when he felt upset, and everyone wanted to avoid his nasty moods. 

"If you're quite done," Freddie gave Roger a pointed look. "I'd like to get a session done in the studio."

"Oh, don't get so fussy. I'm not going to hurt your precious John." Roger laughed loudly as Freddie pushed him away, a blush on Freddie and John's faces.

Brian cleared his throat quietly to grab their attention before their playful back and forth could turn into something more serious. When it came to Roger and Freddie's explosive personalities, a fight never lingered too far around the corner. "We were just about to sit down to lunch, Fred, Deacy. Would you like to join us?"

"Yes, please," John answered quickly, thankful for the distraction, and also wanting to de-escalate the situation before it could get out of hand.

The interruption seemed to stop the fighting for the time being. John stood up to help Brian get everything together, both of them keeping their eyes on the other members of the band in case they attempted to try any funny business while their backs were turned. Freddie kept his focus on John without complaint, letting his eyes do the wandering that he hadn't been allowing. Now that their feelings were known, Freddie didn't feel a need to hold back his appreciative gaze.

"God, could you be any more obvious?" Roger whispered.

"Could you be any more of an idiot?" Freddie shot back, sticking his tongue out childishly.

Something was set on the breakfast bar a little harder than needed. Freddie and Roger looked up to see Brian giving them chastising looks. "Behave yourselves."

"Yes, Mother," Freddie muttered, earning a chuckle from Roger, and an amused smirk from John. Brian only rolled his eyes and turned around to continue his task.

~

John and Brian were tuning their instruments when the bickering started again. They gave each other a look before shaking their heads and ignoring the other two. Sometimes, it was best to just let them go at each other until they tired themselves out.

"I was thinking something like this...And then, if you come in..." Brian played a few cords slowly before repeating them so he could give John the right cue.

"If you weren't such a bloody wanker, Fred, I wouldn't have to threaten to knock you out," Roger pointed out as if it were obvious. He flicked the ash off of the end of his cigarette to prove his point.

"I'd like to see you try," Freddie griped. "Fighting is for cowards, anyways. Use your words like a big boy, chap...If you even can."

They continued to argue even as Brian and John composed nearly an entire song together on the other side of the room. Though the two brunets had chosen to ignore the argument for the time being, they continued to glance over to make sure nothing escalated.

It wasn't until Roger roughly slammed his drumsticks down on his cymbals and stood up that John and Brian decided it was probably time for some more damage control. John purposely walked over to put himself in the middle.

"What are you two even on about?" Brian asked with a sigh, his arms resting on his guitar tiredly. 

"Freddie won't shut his fat mouth," Roger grumbled without sitting down.

"Probably because you won't shut yours." It was John's turn to speak this time. The bassist rolled his eyes in clear irritation. Freddie raised an eyebrow in interest before walking forward to wrap his arms around Deacy's waist. The younger man blushed brightly, still not used to the idea of being so lovey-dovey around their friends.

Something about the action made Roger fly off of the handle. They were all used to his fits over small things, but John couldn't figure out for the life of him why Freddie's embrace seemed to enrage the drummer so much. The youngest member moved slightly to block Freddie from Roger's sight, sure the blond was going after the singer.

Roger kissed John. The bassist made an embarrassingly high-pitched noise when he did, his eyes wide as Roger plundered his mouth. For a moment, he realized why so many women went after Roger if the blond was so good at a simple kiss.

"What the fuck, Roger!?" Freddie demanded when he snapped out of his shock. He quickly snatched John away from the other man, pulling the bassist against him tightly.

"Who's the better kisser?" Roger ignored Freddie in favor of staring John down intensely.

"Wh-What?" John asked nearly breathlessly.

"Who's better? Me or Fred?" Roger repeated with a huff. Now Roger and Freddie were both staring down at John expectantly. John felt his blush growing darker by the second. He stammered for a full minute, his brain sluggishly catching up.

"You're both very good." He didn't want to start another argument. Besides, it was the truth. Freddie was gentle in a way that made John swoon while Roger was definitely skilled.

It seemed that Freddie was having none of that. The singer turned John around in his grasp quickly before cupping his face tenderly and swooping in. John instinctively closed his eyes, his hands resting against Freddie's chest. He felt himself become lightheaded almost immediately. Yes, they were definitely both good. There could only be one true winner, though.

"Freddie...Freddie is better," John whispered as they pulled apart, eyes hazy, and limbs pleasantly heavy. Freddie smiled and nuzzled against John's cheek sweetly. John hoped it was becoming a habit after their kisses.

"You're biased!" Roger crossed his arms over his chest. "We need someone who  _isn't_ dating Freddie."

"Don't look at me!" Brian quickly protested when he locked eyes with the feisty blond.

Roger rolled his eyes. "You're no fun."

"How can anyone have fun when you're always at one of our throats?" John accused.

Roger was in a fighting mood. He needed to release some pent-up energy, and his mates were the only ones around. It wasn't that he really wanted to make them upset with him. They were a family, but even families fought, and Roger knew they would always forgive each other. Freddie was the most forgiving. That was the reason Roger had turned his attentions to the singer first. Then John had to step in, and the drummer swore Christmas had come early. It wasn't easy to provoke John to the point of arguing. Usually, the bassist would give them dirty looks and ignore them completely when he was only mildly upset. Not this time. He could see the aggression in John's gaze, and Roger knew a fight between them was going to be epic. 

"Better than down each other's throats. I'm sure you'll find that out soon enough, Deacy."

The youngest member of the band instantly tensed, his eyes widening a bit in surprise at Roger's words. Brian bit his lip and took a step forward to place a hand on Roger's shoulder. "Maybe we should take a break, yeah?"

"I'm surprised you don't already know, Rog. There's probably not a bloke or a woman left anywhere in England who hasn't taken a round with you," John bit back, his face becoming his legendary stoic mask. He looked perfectly emotionless. Freddie hated it.

Roger knew it meant the bassist had lost his filter. Finally! "How dare you--!?"

"No! How dare  _you_!? You're the one who just kissed  _me_ , remember? Run out of options, so now you've turned to your mates?" John knew it wasn't true, but his mouth was moving faster than he could control it. He had been properly baited.

Roger was the one blushing after that. His hands clenched tightly into fists. Sure, he liked to have fun at pubs and clubs. That was the point of having fame, wasn't it? To enjoy it? The drummer knew he was more experienced than the rest of the band, but that didn't mean he was some kind of desperate man-whore.

"Take that back," Roger demanded with a glare.

John's face remained unchanging. "I don't listen to--"

Before John could finish, Freddie had a hand over his mouth, and an arm around his waist. The singer gave him a firm tug backwards, guiding him away from the drums. He knew the bassist wasn't about to say anything pleasant. He also knew that John was going to be upset with himself if he went any further.

"No! No! Let him finish! I want to hear what he was going to say!" Roger called after them.

"You'd shut up if you knew what was good for you," Brian told him as the guitarist's grip on his shoulder became painful. Roger bit his tongue while the fire in his belly started to settle. His anger always burned out fast. He knew John would take a good amount of time to fully calm down, though.

With that thought in mind, Roger growled to himself and turned around to angrily kick one of the amps- specifically the special one connected to John's bass. It wasn't hard enough to damage the black box, but only just barely. Brian groaned at his childishness while Freddie continued to bring John to the other side of the room. The bassist's eyes were narrowed, the green irises flashing for blood.

The kick released everything that was left out of Roger's system. He felt better, and ready to get some actual work done. One look over at John told him their session would most likely be done for the day. The blond felt a little idiotic for his outburst, but it had worked to get everything out. 

John was seething. His mind supplied images of ripping Roger to shreds and hiding the body somewhere with his precious drums. There was no need for Freddie to hold him back. Not really. Physical violence was never really John's forte. Words on the other hand...Words could hurt worse than a slap to the face, especially words from John.

 _'He should count himself lucky that Freddie has his hand over my mouth,'_  John thought to himself, his eyes never leaving Roger's body.  _'I wonder how handsome he'll be if he's crying like a baby.'_ John yearned to find out what ugly faces Roger would pull once the bassist thoroughly unraveled him with a few well-placed insults. What would his adoring fans think of him sobbing brokenly? Would he lose his confidence? Would he finally let go of his cockiness? John's eyes glittered at the thought.

"If we have to bury him now, we'll never finish the album," a lightly joking voice told him.

When John turned his head towards the singer, there was something in Freddie's eyes behind the smile that made him shiver. It was darker, but not scary. At least John hoped it wasn't. Freddie had never scared him before...

"We're going back to my room," Freddie whispered to him when he caught John looking at him. John nodded even though it wasn't really a question. Despite the thoughts racing through his mind at the moment, the rational side of him (which had taken a backseat to his anger for the time being) knew he needed to get away from Roger before something terrible really happened. After their rush of a morning, he could go for a few quiet hours alone with his new boyfriend. It was odd to call Freddie his boyfriend.

"Brian, my dear, I believe it's time for a bit of a break. We'll be going now." Freddie kept his arms around John as they walked towards the exit, Brian nodding behind him in agreement. They needed to separate themselves for a while.

"Oh, and, Rog, darling...Kiss my love again, and I'll have to castrate you," Freddie said with a smile, acting as though he'd just said the most normal thing in the world.

John snorted from behind the hand over his mouth. Freddie's grip on him tightened momentarily before the older brunet guided him out of the studio. He could hear Roger say something about Freddie being overdramatic, John had a feeling the threat was a good one. Despite Freddie's smile, the singer seemed deadly serious.

Only once they were out of the studio did Freddie move his hand from John's face. The bassist licked his lips before saying, "I hate him."

"Brother's wear on each other's nerves, darling. You both said things I'm sure you didn't mean." Freddie stroked the small of his back lightly.

John blushed, the gentle affection chipping away at his mask. "Why was  _I_  the one who had to be taken away?"

"Because, despite what others may think, we know you're the most dangerous." Freddie pressed a soft kiss to John's cheek before the younger man could get upset. John held his tongue. It was upsetting to know the truth of the statement, but Freddie's touches made it easier to accept. After all, Freddie hadn't left him even while knowing what John was capable of in the right situations. It warmed John's heart, and made it easier to forget why he had gotten so angry in the first place.

"What do you say to changing into our sleep clothes and ignoring the world for a few hours?" the singer offered as they reached the bedroom they had been sharing. John only nodded, still a bit worried about what could come out of his mouth if he opened it. Again, Freddie took it in stride, seemingly unbothered by any of it. He handed John some things to wear before walking off to the bathroom to change.

What John didn't know was that Freddie was incredibly amused and proud of the bassist. Many thought that John was a pushover simply because he was the shyest, and the most sensitive of the group. That just wasn't true. Of all of them, John was the one to watch out for. Sure, Roger often flew off of the handle, but his tantrums never lasted long, and they were mostly for attention. John could hold a grudge like no other, and his mind was deliciously skilled at plotting revenge. Freddie wondered how someone could be such a contradiction. John could be as delicate as a flower petal, but also as sharp as a thorn.

By the time Freddie walked out of the bathroom, John was dressed and under the covers. Though he was still upset with Roger, it was easy to forget everything that didn't have to do with Freddie when they were alone. The singer was a perfect distraction.

"John, dear?" Freddie asked softly as he pulled back the covers on his side of the bed.

John opened his eyes questioningly without saying a word. He blushed a little at the look Freddie had on his face. It was the kind of smile that made the singer look devastatingly handsome and mischievous.

"Who truly is the better kisser?"

"I want lying, Freddie. You know I'm rubbish at lying," John reminded him quietly as he turned his body to face the other.

At the same moment, they realized this was their first time alone in bed as a couple. Their hearts fluttered quickly, but they didn't do anything about it just yet.

"Just checking...I could give you another demonstration if you'd like?" Freddie licked his lips in anticipation, using his elbow to raise him up a little. He grinned when John nodded, giving the younger man no warning before going in for a kiss.

They spent an hour exploring each other's mouths. It wasn't frantic or intense. Just a slow, gentle pace that kept John from thinking too hard about anything. They started out on their sides before Freddie eased himself over the bassist instead. After that, it didn't take long for John to convince the singer to flip their positions again. They found they quite enjoyed it when John straddled Freddie's lap.

Neither were pressured to go any further, though Freddie did slip his fingers under John's shirt to gently stroke his back just the way the younger man liked it. John became a puddle after that, absolutely lost to the feeling of love that Freddie had seeping through his every pore.

The singer continued to soothe his boyfriend until John nodded off against his chest a while later. He smiled to himself as he ran his fingers through John's hair.

"Don't worry, darling. I'll make sure the entire world knows you're mine soon enough," he promised the sleeping musician. He was still upset with Roger for touching John at all, but he decided to focus that energy on plans to make their relationship known so no one else would be bold enough to try and steal a kiss. Freddie chuckled to himself, closing his eyes as he realized that he was already wrapped thoroughly around John's finger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your amazing comments! I'm still taking prompts for Queen/BoRhap cast stories if you have any requests.


	6. Hurry Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: SMUT and SEXUAL HARASSMENT (two separate scenes)

John was in a bit of a pickle. He'd woken up after an hour-long nap with a dry mouth. He hated to admit that he slept with his mouth open, sometimes drooling if he was tired enough, but it was the truth. That meant he usually kept a glass of water on his bedside table for just such situations. Unfortunately, sleeping in Freddie's room had thrown off his usual routine, and there was no water on the nightstand. The bassist groaned when he lifted his head from Freddie's chest and saw there was no glass waiting for him. 

The lack of water wasn't the true issue, though. John resigned himself to having to get up and get a cup of water from the kitchen, but he couldn't- not for lack of trying, but because Freddie's grip around his middle was too strong for John to break. That meant he was stuck, hence the pickle. 

"Freddie," John tried whispering. He didn't really want to wake the singer up. Their time in the farmhouse was supposed to be relaxing to promote the best song writing conditions. That meant waking up when they were well rested and not a minute before. Also, Freddie looked much too peaceful while sleeping for John to truly want to disturb him. He was only hoping to stir the singer just enough to let him go.

 _'How did we even sleep like this?'_  John had to wonder. They were still in the position they had fallen asleep in. John hadn't intended to use Freddie as a mattress, and though the older brunet was rather comfortable, he wondered why Freddie hadn't moved them. Having all of John's weight on him couldn't have made for the best sleep. Despite that, Freddie seemed to be out cold even with John sleeping on top of him.

Freddie didn't so much as twitch at the sound of his name. Instead of getting louder, John did his best to extend his neck so he could get closer to Freddie's ear. "Freddie, please move."

Nothing. John sighed as he thought about his other options. He couldn't go back to sleep with an unpleasantly spongy tongue, and he wasn't really tired enough to drift off again anyways. He also didn't want to wake Freddie. The brunet decided to attempt to use his small size to his advantage. Maybe if he wiggled enough, he could easily slip out of Freddie's arms. It was worth a shot, even if the arms around him hugged his thin waist perfectly. 

At first, John tried to push himself down, hoping to back off of the mattress and Freddie by moving backwards. That plan only resulted in Freddie squeezing him tighter. John blushed. The other man really didn't want to let him go. The thought made him feel even worse about having to get up, but he really couldn't deal with his tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth any longer. 

Steeling his resolve with the intention of make it up to Freddie later, John began his true wiggling. He rocked himself side-to-side, his hips swinging in an attempt to dislodge Freddie's arms. With all of the moving, he couldn't really tell if he was making progress or not, but he could tell that he wasn't anywhere near the edge of the bed yet. 

A quiet hum caught John's attention and made him freeze. He slowly looked up at Freddie. Good. Still asleep. The bassist went to continue to wiggle, but something made him lose focus. John swore his entire body turned a bright red. His mind raced while also becoming completely blank as his mind struggled to process the situation. Freddie's erection pushed against John's squirming pelvis.

Apparently, Freddie was missing John's movements from before, hips inching towards John's in an attempt to keep up the contact. John stared at the singer with wide eyes.  _'How is he still asleep!?'_ Because Freddie was definitely still asleep. 

A sudden rough nudge had John gasping without meaning to. His own hips bucked forward without his consent in response. He didn't want to find pleasure in practically taking advantage of his sleeping boyfriend, but the friction felt so  _good_. He quickly lost himself to the fog of their physical contact.

John did his best to keep quiet as they rutted against each other. His eyes and lips were closed tightly, his hands gripping Freddie's shirt for leverage. Freddie's body reacted on its own as well, pushing against John even in his sleep. John could feel how large the older brunet was, and the thought only sent the bassist spiraling beyond control. 

The sound that came out of John's mouth as he reached completion was nearly a sob. He didn't have time to revel in his climax, though. Guilt and shame rushed in too quickly for that. His entire body went tense as he tucked his face away against Freddie's body, still unable to move away from the singer. He felt terrible for not being able to restrain himself. John was sure Freddie was going to think he was a creep. 

"John? Are you awake?" 

That beautiful voice would have made the bassist light up any other time. At the moment, John could only curl up tighter against Freddie. He couldn't even bring himself to look at the singer; he didn't want to see Freddie get upset with him. Knowing what was coming was bad enough. 

"Y-Yeah," John answered, sounding not at all like himself from a combination of of his intense emotions and his till dry mouth. 

He felt Freddie shift underneath him. "Darling? Are you okay?" 

John shook his head because he wasn't okay. Freddie's arms finally moved from around him, instead being replaced by his warm hands. The singer's talented digits roamed over the lines of his back, easing the tense muscles gently. 

"Did you have another nightmare?"

"No." John vaguely remembered that having a nightmare about Freddie had started his journey to sleeping in Freddie's room, but he couldn't put his finger on what the nightmare had been about. 

"I can't help you if I don't know what the problem is, my dear." Freddie attempted to pull John away from his chest so they could look at each other. It was John's turn to cling to the other man. He held on for dear life, afraid it might be his last chance to do so. He felt Freddie's body slouch in concern, and he felt bad for making Freddie think that he needed to help when it was all John's fault. Maybe this was why he'd been single up until then? Perhaps John just wasn't boyfriend material. 

"I'm the problem," John managed to whisper even as his throat ached for water. He tried to swallow in hopes of making it easier to talk with no such luck. 

Freddie sat up quickly when he heard that, their sleeping position easily changing to a sitting position with John still straddling his thighs. It only reminded John of what he had done while the singer was asleep, and he felt tears sting his eyes.  _'Should I say goodbye before he can?'_

"John, what on Earth are you talking about?" Freddie was seriously concerned at that point. How could he not be when John wouldn't even look at him after saying such a morbid thing? An unhappy John was always cause for worry. 

John was too embarrassed to explain even though he wanted to tell Freddie very badly. He didn't want his boyfriend to worry or think it he had done something wrong. The younger man shook his head helplessly, unable to communicate properly. 

"If you don't tell me what's wrong in the next ten seconds, I'm going to lose my head," Freddie explained with a frantic tone in his voice that made John realize that the singer wasn't just being over-dramatic. 

When he realized he had no other option but to tell Freddie, John's tears started flowing.  _'At least I could enjoy our relationship while it lasted,_ ' he thought to himself sadly. Slightly trembling at the thought of losing the person who meant the most to him, John reached out to take one of Freddie's hands. Freddie let him do as he pleased, not stopping him even as their hands moved between their two bodies. He did cough a little, though, when his hand landed on John's crotch. 

"John, what--?"

"I'm sorry." 

Freddie frowned at the defeated tone. He'd never heard John sound so hopeless, and it broke his heart. He still didn't understand what was making his love so upset. It took only a few seconds more of silence for Freddie to focus. What could John be trying to tell him?

He felt the wet spot. It was slightly colder than the dry parts of John's sleep pants, and Freddie was brought back to the rather enjoyable dream he had been having before he was woken up. He'd been just about to reach completion when is body decided it was time to wake up.  _'Wait a minute...'_

"Oh, you poor thing. Did you think I was going to be upset with you?" Freddie asked softly, his arms moving back into position around John's middle. 

John's eyes went wide. The way Freddie spoke sounded like he wasn't upset...He wondered if the singer understood what exactly had happened. Unable to fully form a response, John nodded against Freddie's chest. 

"Never, darling. I could never be upset with you for feeling good. You did enjoy it, didn't you? You're not upset because I forced you to do anything?" Freddie didn't think he had done anything in his sleep other than hold John close, but he had to be sure. He would hate himself if he'd made John uncomfortable.

"No!" John quickly pulled his head away from Freddie's chest. "I-I mean yes...I did enjoy myself, and no, you didn't force me...You're not upset?" 

Freddie swore those gorgeous eyes could lead him to his death and he would die willingly. John was going to be the death of him. "I suppose I'm a bit upset that I didn't get to witness the sinful looks you must have had on your lovely face, but I'm not upset with you, darling. Are you alright?"

John took a moment to think about his answer. He was much better than before, all signs of crying gone from his face. He was a little surprised, but mostly happy that Freddie wasn't pushing him out of the bed. There was still some embarrassment there, though he knew Freddie would never judge him. Well, he knew now. John nodded. "Thirsty."

"I'll get you something to drink, love. Why don't you go clean up? Pick out some clean pajamas, and I'll be right back up." 

It seemed almost too good to be true. John was hesitant to move away from the singer because of it. Freddie sensed his reluctance, so the older man began his quest to make John feel good. At least then the bassist wouldn't doubt himself.

John shuddered when Freddie started gently kissing up his jaw and lightly dragging his fingers across the small of his back. He couldn't help but arch towards the other man when he felt it. "Freddie..."

"You're always so enticing to me, my love. I'm happy you feel the same about me. Do I look just as handsome when I sleep?" Freddie asked teasingly after sucking on John's bottom lip just enough to make it swell beautifully. 

"I can't imagine you ever looking less than handsome, Fred." 

"Right answer, my dear." They grinned at each other happily, John's earlier plight completely forgotten. With one last kiss, Freddie gently slid John off of his lap so they could go their separate ways. John moved towards the bathroom while Freddie moved towards the stairs, the smiles never leaving their faces. 

~

Freddie needed some time to himself. His fingers were itching for pencil and paper, and his best writing happened when he was alone. He didn't want to leave John, but they  _had_  come to the farm to eliminate distraction. The pair would certainly distract each other if they remained together. Freddie reminded himself that John really hadn't had a chance to sit down and write by himself yet. It was only fair to give everyone the time they needed. 

"John, dear, I'm moving to the piano...Perhaps you'd like to relax in the room?" Freddie was trying to broach the subject without making it seem like he didn't want John around, because that simply wasn't true. 

John smiled. "No need to beat around the bush. Go on and write, Freddie. I think I'll take a short walk outside. Maybe it will give me inspiration." 

They shared a kiss before John put on his jacket and headed down the stairs in front of the bedroom. No one was out and about in the house, and he assumed Brian and Roger were doing their own writing. It was quiet inside and out. It would have been unsettling before, but John knew Freddie was waiting for him, alive, and well inside. He had a feeling the singer would drop everything if he asked him to, but the shy bassist needed some time away just as much as Freddie did; he needed time with his thoughts. 

Paul watched from the window in his room as John took a stroll around the outside of the house. The bassist never went very far, though he did take frequent breaks to enjoy the view. While Roger had complained about the location when they first showed up, it seemed that all of them had come to enjoy some aspects of the house. It was peaceful if nothing else. The happy smile on John's face made Paul want to vomit. How could someone be so naive?

He'd been thinking about how to win Freddie over ever since the singer had rejected him that early morning in the studio. Paul knew the fastest way to get to Freddie would be to take John down first. If he could manipulate the bassist (which was bound to be much easier than going directly to Freddie), then he could manipulate Freddie. It was perfect.

The sly man made sure John was going to take another slow lap around the property before heading to the opposite side of the house where Freddie was. He could already hear the notes of the piano drifting through the building, certain keys being repeated while Freddie mulled over melodies in his head and tried to get them down on paper. Paul knew Freddie to be the calmest when he was at his bench, even if the last encounter hadn't gone entirely well. 

"I thought I smelled something rancid," Freddie said aloud without looking up as he heard the distinct footsteps approach him. It was hard not to hear everything in the creaky old house. The steps were too heavy to be John or Brian's, and too slow to be Roger's. That left only one option. "Leave me alone before something of yours disappears, and I'm not talking about clothing." 

"You can't avoid me forever, Freddie. We work together." That thought was keeping Paul going. As long as the band took to create their album, Paul would be in the same house as Freddie. It was better than a dream come true. It meant that he could keep trying until he got it right, though he hoped to accomplish his mission without the extra time.

The music didn't stop. "Why would I avoid you, sweetheart? This is my house for the time being, and that seems like an awful lot of effort for someone I don't like. No, no. I'll just pretend you don't exist. Much easier." Freddie wrote down a line before repeating the previous keys.

Paul felt his face heat up in anger. The pet name that would have usually sounded so sweet was said as if Freddie had been speaking to a child, like he didn't think Paul was worth his time. Paul was so used to getting his way. Men rarely turned him down, and no one ever disrespected him. He wanted to kiss Freddie and strangle him at the same time. Why wouldn't the man just cooperate? Knowing neither of those options would put him in good standing with the singer, Paul knew he had to put his backup plan into place. He refused to walk away in defeat again. 

It was much too hard to go after Freddie directly. He'd have to sneak his way in using John just as he had planned. The tough act the bassist had put on the other day was impressive, but Paul doubted John would seriously do anything. The man was too soft...and too easy to take apart. Paul was going to make him crumble somehow, and it would happen right in front of Freddie.

"If you're thinking about kissing me again, you should kiss your ass goodbye. Or better yet, just say goodbye. Goodbye, Paul." Freddie waved a hand to dismiss him before returning all of his attention to his work on the bench. 

"I'll see you later, Freddie." That was a promise. Paul turned on his heel and walked away. He wasn't defeated that time, because he had a plan, or at least the start of one. Freddie's heart would be his, and John Deacon would be broken. 

~

John's mind had drifted off to his encounter with Roger earlier. Just as Freddie had predicted, the bassist felt bad about the things he had said. He knew Roger was just looking for a fight, and that he shouldn't have let the childish drummer get under his skin. He couldn't take back what had already happened, though. John was definitely going to apologize, but he needed to do better than a simple 'I'm sorry'. During their time at the farm, they'd only grown closer as a band- as a family- and John was grateful for each one of them. He couldn't imagine facing all of this alone, and he was glad they were there to support him, even if it meant Roger riling him up sometimes. 

' _Oooh_ _you're my best friend..._ ' John was humming to himself before he even realized he was putting something together. The words flowed quickly, as if he had sung them before, but he couldn't ever remember doing so. It was sappy, but the words rang true, and they made John feel better about the spat earlier. No matter what, the others would be there for him, and he would be there for them. He'd found love in many different forms after joining the group, and he wanted to share it with them all. 

He hurried inside to find something to write on. He remembered Brian leaving a notepad in the kitchen at some point, and he hoped it was still there. The grey-eyed man didn't bother taking off his shoes or his coat when he walked in, too focused on not forgetting his song. He needed to get it all written down so he could try to put some music behind the words and make it all come together. 

"Yes!" John whispered to himself in quiet victory when he spotted the discarded notepad on the counter near the sink. He clutched it to his chest in excitement while his eyes roamed the nearby area for a pen or pencil. There was nothing that he could see. Quickly, John began opening the drawers, hoping for one filled with random items that might include a writing utensil. "Come on, come on..."

"A lovely view," Paul said with a smirk as he leaned in close to give John's arse a pinch. He'd seen John come racing in, and he knew he had to act or risk losing his chance. Freddie wasn't too far away, just up the stairs. Paul could set things into motion, cause a ruckus, and Freddie would come downstairs at just the perfect moment. 

John gasped and jumped, his hands flying to his backside as he quickly stood up and turned around. "What are you doing!?" he shrieked in disbelief. A mix of embarrassment, humiliation, fear, and anger raged through him. No one was allowed to touch him like that except for Freddie, though Roger had gotten away with it a few times when trying to lighten the mood. John certainly didn't think it was funny in this situation. 

"Hush,  _darling_." The way Paul attempted to copy Freddie's term of endearment made John feel nauseous. "You wouldn't want your lover to hear you."

"What are you talking about? You touched me!" John backed himself up towards the counter to keep his rear protected, but that only backed him into the corner Paul wanted him in. The smile Paul had on his face made John want to run for it. Christ, the man was creepy. 

Paul nodded in satisfaction when he heard the piano keys go silent. Freddie must have heard the commotion. A little more noise, and he would surely be coming down to check at any moment. He couldn't have John screaming at him, though. It wouldn't play in his favor that way. Instead, Paul reached over, knocked everything on the counter to the ground, and went in for the kill. The huge clatter that followed covered John's muffled scream as Paul lifted him forcefully onto the counter top, his thick hands clutching John's thin wrists hard enough to bruise, and kissed him. 

John tried his hardest to pull away from Paul, but the back of his head smacked against the cabinet before he could get too far. He squirmed despairingly, and Paul only pushed against him harder. His wrists were moved to one of Paul's hands before they were tugged above his head and pushed against the cabinet door his head was forced into. When he tried to kick, Paul used his free hand to grasp his thigh with a grip that was just as painful at the rest of the experience. To top it all off, the mustached man rocked against him in a way that pushed him further and further back. John couldn't fight it, so he gave up. Accepting his fate, he closed his eyes to avoid facing reality, and hoped that it would be over soon. 

"John?"

John would know that voice anywhere. The panic he felt only grew as his eyes snapped open to reveal a shocked Freddie standing right at the bottom of the stairs with a perfect view of the position he was in. There was no need to push Paul away. Paul pulled away himself, his grip still tight on John's legs and wrists. 

"Oh, Freddie! Sorry. I guess we got a little carried away. Isn't that right, John?" Paul's grin was nowhere near sane. "This one's insatiable." 

John couldn't look at his love. He couldn't bear to see the look of betrayal on Freddie's face. Perhaps the man was even embarrassed about having such a weak person as a partner? What did words matter if John couldn't defend himself when the time came? John closed his eyes again.

There was no sign of betrayal or disappointment on Freddie's face, however. There was only deep concern and unbridled rage. He knew instantly that John hadn't been a willing party. His love had a low physical pain tolerance, and whatever Paul had done would definitely leave marks. Freddie wanted to hold John and take care of him, but he was torn between who to take care of first. Knocking Paul's lights out did seem like a rather good first option.


	7. When This Is Blown Over

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNINGS: VIOLENCE (yes, against Paul (: )

"John, my love," Freddie said. 

John turned his head slowly to look at the singer, afraid of what he was going to hear. There was no need for his fear, though. Despite the outraged look in Freddie's dark eyes, the tone he used when speaking to him was as soft as ever. 

"I want you to go find Rog and Bri. Let them keep you company until I come and find you, okay? And, whatever you do, do not come looking for me, alright? I'll be along soon." 

John could only nod, relief filling his body even as he was still help in Paul's tight hold. Only a few seconds later, Paul's hands faltered, and John was able to quickly pull his skinny wrists free. His first instinct was to run to Freddie and beg for comfort, but the older man had given him instructions to follow. So, John took off. The bassist ran for it, no direction in mind except away from Paul. Tears blurred his vision as he ran, his feet taking him to the studio while his mind focused on keeping him from hyperventilating.

"Such a shy thing. You understand, don't you, Freddie?" Paul's plan wasn't going the way he had wanted it to. He had intended for John to give in at some point. Whatever John and Freddie shared couldn't have been serious enough for John to not react to Paul's advances. That was what he had thought at least.

Now, his plan was to make Freddie think he and John had been in a relationship the entire time. Freddie would think John was upset because the secret relationship had been found out, not because Paul had forced himself on the bassist. Freddie would be angry, let John go, and then Paul could make his move.

"It's a shame you had to find out this way...I wanted to tell you sooner, you see, but John was so adamant on holding out." Paul's confident smile faltered slightly when he saw Freddie's face. He couldn't describe the emotions he saw on it. He'd never seen Freddie look like that before.

"Find out about  _what_  exactly?" Freddie questioned, his voice cold as steel. He took a slow step forward. Paul instinctively took a step back.

"A-About us, of course. It's been going on for a while now. Johnny must have--" Before Paul could finish his sentence, a steady fist hit his face, and he remembered nothing more.

Freddie shook his hand as an aching pain settled over his knuckles. "I've still got it," he told himself with a puff of pride.

The singer had intended to drag out Paul's punishment. Perhaps a black eye for daring to look at his love, a busted lip for daring to kiss his love's lips, and a hit to the gut for good measure. Hearing Paul call John such a ridiculous pet name had driven him over the edge. No one was allowed to be so casual with John except him. Only  _he_  could give John nicknames.

Disgusted, Freddie nudged the body on the ground with his foot, brushing it out of the way in case someone wanted to walk through. No way was he moving the twat. Paul didn't deserve the comfort of a bed or a couch after what he had done. Only one person needed to be comforted after that whole ordeal, and Freddie intended on finding him right away.

"O-Oh...Sorry..." John didn't know what else to say. What could you say when you walked in on your mates kissing each other?

Brian was on his knees in front of Roger whilst the blond sat on his drum stool. They seemed to be in the middle of a rather intense snog, but the pair immediately broke apart when John spoke and alerted them to his presence. Brian couldn't even bring himself to look at the other brunet as a dark blush spread across his cheeks. Roger only gave a cocky little grin...until he saw the state John was in. 

Roger wasn't known for being observant, but it didn't take a doctor to see the bruises blossoming on John's wrists, his unpleasantly swollen lips, and the tear tracks still making their way down the bassist's face. Roger was on his feet in a second, moving right to the youngest, most sensitive member of their band. John did his best to act normal, but he was still so shaken from what Paul had just done...from what Freddie had just seen him do with another man. John sobbed again, and Roger pulled him in for a tight hug. 

"If Freddie hurt you, I'm going to kill him," Roger spat.

John, thankfully, didn't need to argue on his love's behalf. Brian pointed out the obvious, saving John from having to speak. "Freddie wouldn't hurt him, Rog. Don't be ridiculous." 

Roger only frowned further and started running his fingers through John's hair. The bassist clung to the drummer like a lifeline, aching for comfort that he wanted from Freddie but couldn't get. Brian stepped forward then, hesitantly reaching out a hand to stroke John's back. They'd all helped John through tears at some point, so it wasn't odd to comfort him, but this time seemed especially bad. John usually didn't shake while crying. 

"John?" Brian prodded quietly. "What happened?"

The younger brunet shook his head and closed his eyes as he tried to erase the memory from his mind. He wanted to forget the whole thing and curl up in bed with Freddie. Instead, the scene replayed over and over behind his eyelids, and Freddie hadn't yet come looking for him. At least that's what John thought. 

"John! John, are you in here? Oh, darling,  _please_!" Freddie's frantic calls reached their ears, and they were all immediately tense. Roger and Brian still didn't know exactly what happened, so they didn't know if they wanted John to be found or not. After all, John had run to them instead of the singer. John's trembling only increased when he heard Freddie's voice. Roger was about to snap at Brian about John's reaction to Freddie when the singer appeared around the corner. 

The bassist was taken from the drummer before Roger could protest even the slightest bit. He blinked dumbly as Freddie held John close and whispered gentle assurances in his ear. He ignored his quickly swelling hand in favor of taking care of his love who had a lot worse things to worry about than a few throbbing knuckles. 

"It's alright, darling, I'm here. Where does it hurt? What happened before I came downstairs?" Freddie asked in a rush, his eyes traveling over John's trembling body for any sign of injuries he hadn't yet seen.

"What the fuck happened?" Roger demanded, tired of not knowing why his friend was so upset. He felt Brian place a gentle hand on his shoulder, and he took a moment to breathe and calm down.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out, you twit!" Freddie all but shouted. He quickly calmed, though, when John flinched in his arms.

Brian stepped in before either of them could get even more worked up. "Why's he so shaken up, Fred?"

"Paul..." Freddie held John tighter when the younger man started to explain through his tears. "He forced me to-- I didn't want to, Freddie! I swear!"

"Oh, my love, I know that wasn't your choice. It's alright. Why don't we get you in a nice long bath, then you can rest. We'll talk about it in the morning, yeah?"

John nodded, relief filling his body. He had obviously been more concerned about upsetting Freddie than the actual trauma he had just gone through. That only made Roger feel murderous. The blond was shaking with clenched fists. What exactly had Paul forced the bassist to do? He and Freddie locked eyes for a moment.

"Brian, dear, would you mind bringing John up to our room and helping him get a bath started?" Freddie asked when he saw Roger's face.

Brian and John both frowned, but didn't protest. The taller brunet wrapped an arm around John and led him out of the studio towards the house. Once they were out of sight, Freddie marched over to Roger and grasped the blond's shoulders. They stared at each other for a long moment, anger coursing through them. They didn't have to worry about scaring the others now that they were alone.

"What happened?" Roger asked again, his voice a deadly calm.

"Paul was practically dry humping John in the kitchen against his will. You saw the bruises. It was part of some ridiculous plan to get me to turn against John or some stupid shit. I want to kill him...He's laying on the floor."

"You didn't...?" Roger raised a surprised brow, his eyes wide with shock. He wouldn't have blamed Freddie for ending Paul right then and there. If that wanker had done something similar to Brian...Roger was sure he would be drumming in a jailhouse the rest of his life.

"No! Not before we get this damn album finished!" Freddie said, giving Roger an incredulous look.

"Alright, then I'm going to." Roger pushed Freddie's hands away from his shoulders before stomping off in the direction of the house, Freddie following quickly after him. "Don't try to stop me!"

"Who said anything about stopping you, darling?" Freddie called back gruffly.

Brian sat on the bed with John against his chest, rocking the younger brunet as he quietly cried. It was heartbreaking to see John so torn up, and he really wanted to know what happened so he could help. He wouldn't push, though.

"Freddie will be up soon, Deacy. It's alright."

John shook his head. "I-I like it this way...Just us." Brian's presence was so soothing. Freddie's embrace would only push him to sobs again. It would bring back the images of what had happened.

"Did you want to take that bath?"

"I just want to sit here if that's alright?" John whispered. They tightened their grip on each other. The bassist was a little embarrassed for acting so clingy, but he really didn't want to be left alone. The last time he was alone, Paul had taken advantage of him. Luckily, Brian understood. He didn't mind it at all, and was happy to be there for his friend. 

The two sat there for a good while without saying a word. The silence was anything but awkward as they got lost in their thoughts together. They both thought of their partners, the love they held for them and for the rest of their band mates. It was much more relaxing than focusing on the events from before that had brought them to that position. After a few minutes, they ended up laying down instead, both of them wrapped in the other's arms. 

When Roger and Freddie pushed open the door to the bedroom sometime after, John and Brian were sleeping peacefully on top of the covers. They'd just finished dragging Paul's still limp body outside into the gravel behind the farmhouse for someone else to find. They hadn't killed him, though Roger had nearly tried to. The blond got a few good hits in while Freddie watched in satisfaction before dragging the drummer away to find their boyfriends. Of course, Freddie didn't yet know that Brian and Roger were a thing, but that didn't matter at the moment. 

"I feel bad disturbing them," Roger told Freddie quietly as they watched the two men in bed with small smiles. They could relax now knowing their friends and partners were both resting. Everything could be left until the morning. 

With that thought in mind, Freddie grinned and patted Roger on the back. "Looks like we're bunking together, love," he cooed. 

Roger rolled his eyes and pushed Freddie's face away when the singer tried to give him a loud kiss on the cheek. He glanced back at Brian and John one last time before nodding and walking out to let them rest further, closing the door behind Freddie who followed him. 

As they walked towards the kitchen to clean up the mess Paul had left behind, Freddie wrapped his arm around Roger's shoulders. It felt great to have people in his corner. He'd had so many people pushing him away before he became a part of the band, and now he had a perfect family for life. He wouldn't trade those three for the world. Once everything was back in its rightful place, Freddie made sure to pull Roger into a hug. Roger hugged him back just as tightly, his mind having been on the same path. 

"Thank you," they said at the same time before laughing at their sappiness and pulling apart.


	8. I Still Love You

"Really? He walked up and kissed you?" Freddie was looking at Roger with intrigue obvious on his face as he sipped his tea.

Roger nodded. "I was shocked too, you know. The last thing I expected was for him to march up to me and smash our faces together. I think I broke a tooth."

"How sweet! He was excited, though I'll never figure out why anyone would be excited about a kiss with you of all people. Maybe I should offer my services? I was the winner of our little competition, after all."

"You only one because you're shagging the judge!" Roger insisted with a huff that sent Freddie into a round of giggles. After a moment, Roger laughed along with him, realizing how ridiculous they must have sounded. "But maybe you should, Fred. Then Brian will agree that I'm better and we'll know who the true winner is."

Freddie rolled his eyes and finished off his cup. The blond's logic was all screwed up, but what did one expect from Roger Taylor? "I don't go around kissing other people's lovers...Unlike some people I know." He raised a brow and gave the drummer a pointed look.

Roger blushed and smacked Freddie's shoulder. "I had to see who would win! And I was kind of hoping John would say I was the best so that I could look good for..." He bit his lip.

Freddie didn't need to hear what he was going to say. He knew. "You don't need to show off to catch Brian's attention, my love. He's just as gone for you as you are for him. Let him know you care and he'll be putty in your hands."

"I'm already putty in his," Roger admitted, though Freddie had a feeling he wasn't supposed to hear it. Still, the singer grinned to himself and looked away to hide it. No need to make Roger feel self-conscious. Lord knew Freddie was already putty for John, his poor angel who had fallen asleep crying...Freddie needed to get to him.

"I'm going to check on--"

"I know. I feel it too," Roger interrupted knowingly. They shared a look before nodding and setting their cups down. The two hurried up the stairs, their minds telling them to collect their lovers before it got too dark outside. They definitely weren't sleeping without them.

Brian was awake. He'd woken up not too long ago and eased himself out of the bed so he wouldn't disturb John. After managing to get off of the mattress without waking the short man, he tucked John in under the covers. He was in the process of carefully tucking the comforter in around his shoulders when the door to the bedroom opened, and he looked up with a smile at the two in the doorway.

"He's still asleep," Brian told Freddie and Roger in a whisper as he made his way towards them. Roger instantly had his arms around the guitarist, causing Brian to blush and look questioningly at Freddie. The singer only smiled.

"We're heading to bed, then. We'll talk in the morning...If you need us, we'll be in Bri's room." Roger had to stand on his toes a bit to give Brian a kiss on the cheek before they moved out of the way so Freddie could get to John.

Freddie heard the door close before he even realized that Brian and Roger were gone. He didn't care to look back at the noise, his entire focus completely on his love. John was curled up under the covers as he usually did while sleeping, though it was obvious he was starting to get a little restless. As much as Freddie didn't want to interrupt his sleep, it would be the only chance he had to get them both ready for bed. 

"John, love, wake up for me," Freddie cooed quietly as he reached over to stroke John's back. Ever the light sleeper, green-grey eyes were revealed only a moment later, and Freddie couldn't help but smile. His boyfriend was absolutely gorgeous. "That's it. Sit up, darling." 

John groaned quietly as he wiggled his way up into a sitting position, rubbing his eyes sleepily. His groggy mind didn't get a chance to wonder why Freddie had brought him out of his sleep before his boyfriend was gently tugging off his clothes. John only sat there compliantly, letting Freddie do all of the work for his exhausted body. He didn't even flinch when Freddie removed his underwear. He didn't feel that there were any boundaries after that morning, and neither of them were complaining about the step in their relationship. 

Thankfully, Freddie was quick to redress him once he was naked. It was chilly in the room without any clothes on, and John was already shivering by the time Freddie worked some pajama pants over his skinny legs. The younger man sighed in relief when he was completely covered again. The sleep clothes were much more comfortable than the denim trousers he'd been wearing. 

"Almost done," Freddie assured. He helped John get back under the covers before changing his own clothes, opting to go without a shirt because he knew John would keep him warm. He was especially happy with his state of undress when John's lithe hands settled against his chest, the contact making them both hum. "Goodnight, my love."

~

John gently played with Freddie's hair as the sun cast soft rays through the thin curtain onto his love's face. It outlined Freddie's sharp jaw perfectly, and John couldn't help but picture how brilliant Freddie's eyes would look in the light. He'd often heard women squealing over Roger's baby blues, and, while John could completely understand, he thought Freddie's eyes were much more beautiful; they were mysterious and hid everything so well unless you truly knew him. Freddie couldn't hide anything from John, and the bassist was proud to know it. 

The smaller man ignored the pain in his wrists as he waited for Freddie to wake up. He was trying his best not to think about what had happened yesterday. Well, none of the bad anyways. Walking in on Roger and Brian had been a nice surprise, and he was excited to get all of the details from Brian that morning. His friends deserved each other. They were such great people. On top of that, Brian had taken such good care of him, Roger had defended him so fiercely, and Freddie had protected him...Even if John didn't quite know how Freddie had gotten rid of Paul.

_'Whatever this world can give me, it's you- you're all I see...'_

John hadn't realized he was singing aloud until a sleep-filled voice told him, "That's beautiful, darling. Did you write that?" 

The bassist snapped his mouth shut as a blush lit up his face. He nodded meekly, afraid Freddie would think the lyrics were much too sappy. Instead of a laugh, Freddie gave him a soft kiss on the nose that had his insides going soft. How could he be so in love with someone?

"I think it's perfect for the album...Something lighter. The others will love it, I'm sure," Freddie assured him. He moved to release John so he could stretch his arms, only for the bassist to quickly latch on to his biceps so he couldn't move. He looked at John with his brows furrowed in confusion. "What?"

"Don't leave!" John said quickly, his chest suddenly heaving as his eyes grew impossibly wide. Freddie was instantly reminded of their first night sharing the bed together. It seemed that John had forgotten his nightmare, but Paul's attack had only brought back his panic at being alone. 

"Never, darling. Do you remember my promise? You know I'm a man of my word, dearest." 

John didn't calm until Freddie wrapped him up in his arms again. They lay there for a while, Freddie humming in John's ear while lightly stroking his back. John's breathing was the last thing to return to normal. Even then, the man still shuddered. John knew why he was being so clingy. He was afraid that Paul would come up with another scheme that would rip him away from Freddie for real this time. He couldn't lose Freddie. The thought made him dizzy.

Freddie felt helpless. Usually his touches and assurances were enough to make John relax, but the incident with Paul must have shaken him up pretty badly. It wasn't a wonder with what he had walked in on...He still needed to find out exactly what had happened from the beginning. What if Paul had been worse than Freddie had seen? He wouldn't have put it past Paul to be an absolute wild animal. 

"My love?"

John hummed in response, raising his eyes to look at Freddie's chin though the older man couldn't see from his position. 

"What happened yesterday before I came down?" The last thing Freddie wanted was to get John all worked up again, but he needed to know so that they could work through it and move on. Freddie was dead set on making the bassist forget all about the little incident. He just needed to know what memories he had to erase. 

It started off with John explaining his walk. He had been enjoying their time apart, taking in the fresh air, and thinking about his song. "I went in to get a pen and paper when...." John bit his lip, his eyes filling with tears. That's when the scene had turned horrid. 

Freddie was patient as he waited for John to find his words again. He did his best to keep the calm, loving tone in his voice and on his face to avoid making John think that he was upset with him. Through the rest of the explanation, Freddie only became more affectionate, distracting John from the retelling of the story with soft touches and attention. It was easier for John to get everything out that way. 

"I'm so sorry, my darling. Can you forgive me for not being there when you needed me?" Freddie asked quietly as his lips forged a trail along John's throat, his hands easing down John's sides. 

"I need you now," John replied, slightly breathless. He swallowed audibly and closed his eyes as he felt those warm hands slip under his pajamas. The feeling made his blood burn feverishly, and he had to wiggle to relieve the sudden buildup of pressure around his groin. Freddie continued, and John knew he was lost to his love. For having never been with men before, they both caught on fairly quick, following their instincts and making each other squirm.

~

Freddie made sure to take his time going down the steps with John. The bassist had a bit of a limp that wasn't noticeable until they were no longer on even ground. The singer felt terrible. Had he been too rough? The way John had been crying out for him to push harder, faster made him think he hadn't. Was it always going to be like this?   


"John, I'm s--"   


"If you apologize one more time, I'm sleeping in Brian's room tonight, and I don't think Roger will be very happy," John told him before he could finish. Freddie blushed and quickly shut his mouth. John nodded in satisfaction. Yes, he was a bit sore, but it was nice. Kind of like after a long jog. He knew he'd be feeling it for a while, but it wasn't truly painful. 

Both of them were distracted from their thoughts when they walked into the kitchen area and saw their friends. Brian was sitting down on one of the chairs at the breakfast bar while Roger leaned over it, their faces attached in a way that made John blush and look away. He was happy for them, but he felt like he was intruding. Freddie had no such tact, of course. He whistled loudly, making the other couple jump apart. Roger whipped around to give the singer a deadly glare while John simply walked over to Brian and stole a mug. 

Brian smiled at him. "That one's for you. I figured you'd be coming down soon. You went to bed quite early." 

"Thank you...For everything." John didn't want to make a big deal about Brian making him tea, but the guitarist had comforted him last night. Brian honestly couldn't have been a better friend. While Freddie or Roger's comfort would have done the job, Brian was the rational one John had needed at the moment. It seemed that Roger had helped Freddie calmed down too, but the brunets dreaded to think about what their loves had gotten up to in order to achieve that calmness. John wondered where Paul had gone off to...

"Anyways, lads, we need to discuss what songs we're going to put on the album. I know we've all been working hard, but I think I have our new single," Roger announced with a large smile, his eyes glittering in a way that had Brian blushing and John worried. The bassist moved closer to Freddie out of instinct. Roger being so excited usually didn't mean anything good for them. Boy, was he right. 

Roger waited with baited breath as the others read through his lyrics. When John looked up from the sheet to share a look with Freddie, the singer had a blank face. John sighed. This was going to be trouble. He looked over at Brian to see the taller man's reaction, hoping that Brian wouldn't side with Roger just because of their relationship. The pressed lips and furrowed brows on Brian's face seemed like a pretty good sign. Freddie must have thought so as well. 

"Oh, thank god, we all hate it." Freddie breathed in relief when he saw Brian's face for himself.

"I don't  _hate_ it!" Brian insisted quickly, his eyes moving between Freddie and Roger quickly. 

"So, you love it, then?" Roger inquired hopefully. John looked away. He couldn't bear to watch what was about to unfold. He tried to mentally prepare himself for Roger's temper, but it really was no use. Roger hit like a quick moving hurricane. 

"Not strong enough!?" The blond crumpled the piece of paper in his hands as he looked at his boyfriend with something akin to betrayal on his face. 

Brian bit his lip. He couldn't lie to Roger no matter how badly he wanted to. "It's just not..."

"Strong enough," Freddie finished for him. "You said it yourself, Bri. It's not strong enough to be on our magnificent album, dear. It was a nice try, though. Maybe the next one." It didn't take a genius to realize that Freddie had no intention of letting Roger's song anywhere near their other works on any album. Ever. 

"Don't be rude, Freddie," John chastised quietly. 

"You like it, don't you, John?" Roger practically begged. The look of near explosion on the blond's face had John ready to lie straight away. He didn't want to hurt Roger's feelings. It seemed Roger knew that.

"Don't manipulate him, Roger. That's not fair." Brian's gentle voice stopped John before he could make a terrible attempt at a lie. 

Roger's knuckles turned a deathly white, and his lips formed a skinny line on his face that made them practically disappear. The other three tensed in anticipation of what they knew was to come. They'd all had songs talked down upon by the other members. There had been plenty of fights over what tracks were featured. That didn't make Roger any less likely to blow up.

"Hit the deck," John heard Freddie mutter jokingly before a handful of bacon came flying over the counter. John quickly slid out of the way with a little help from Freddie. Unfortunately for Brian, his boyfriend was being the opposite of helpful. He didn't move in time, and the greasy meat hit him square in the face before falling into his lap. 

John gasped while Freddie watched on with wide eyes. The entire room seemed to be frozen for a moment. Brian had his eyes closed, his body the picture of collected calm. They all knew it was only a mask, though. They could almost feel the fire that was burning inside the taller man. Then, there was a small crack in the mask. Brian's lip trembled with barely concealed rage and upset before he folded his newspaper with a little more force than necessary and stomped up the stairs. The bacon slapped the floor, and time sped up again. 

"Bri, wait!" Roger called as he stumbled to catch up with his boyfriend, the anger he was feeling suddenly flying out of the window. "I'm sorry!" 

There was a loud slam before Roger could make it even half way up the stairs, and he stopped again, pausing for a moment before walking back down with a sulking look on his face. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs with the most authentic kicked puppy look John had ever seen, and he didn't hold back from moving to comfort the drummer. 

"I'm an idiot." 

"You're not wrong," Freddie said, earning a glare from John that had him shutting up again. He cleared his throat innocently and turned back to the kitchen.

"Just give him some time to calm down. He'll forgive you...It'll just take some time," John assured. He gently pushed Roger to sit on one of the faded couches in the open area, then went to the kitchen to bring him some tea. Roger accepted the cup, but didn't drink anything. John decided to leave him alone for a bit. 

Freddie wrapped an arm around John's waist when the younger man moved back to his side. Before he could lean in to steal a kiss, John put his hand up between their lips and said, "Why don't we eat in our room today?" 

It didn't take much convincing after that. They made their plates and spared one last look at Roger before heading up the stairs together. They spent their time after that curled up together, feeding each other breakfast from both their plates. It was lazy and wonderful and just what they needed after their romp in the sheets earlier. The couple almost decided to spend the day in bed when they heard, "For fuck's sake, Roger, get out of the cupboard!"

Looks like they were needed elsewhere. 

~

"You're a brat, you know," Brian told his love as he helped the blond out of the cabinet he had locked himself in for the past hour and a half. 

Roger groaned at the feeling of stretching and using his legs again. It was painful, but worth it. His song was on the B-side, and Brian had forgiven him, though getting Brian to forgive him had been the easy part. If Brian and John hadn't been there, Freddie would have been content to let Roger stay in the cupboard all night. The singer had even loudly said so, uncaring of Roger's feelings. The song was atrocious! All of them were impressed with Roger's determination and stubbornness. None of them believed he'd keep up interest as long as he had. It wasn't hard for the drummer to get distracted. 

"I know," Roger replied with a cheeky grin. He'd gotten his way.

"What a twat." Freddie smacked the blond over the back of the head for good measure before storming out. It was clear that he wasn't happy with the new addition to the album. 

John covered a laugh with his hand as he watched his love moodily leave the room. It was quite adorable, and he knew Freddie was simply being over-dramatic. Queen couldn't be contained, so why not put the song on the album? He didn't see the big deal even if it wasn't really his cup of tea. He looked up at Brian and Roger who were giving each other nothing less than bedroom eyes. "Time to make up? I think I'll bring Freddie out for a walk in the fields, let him work through his anger." 

Brian blushed, but they both had thankful grins on their faces as John moved to follow the singer out. Another apology was whispered, their lips joining quickly after. It was definitely time to make up. Brian couldn't stay mad when he looked into those large blue eyes, and Roger would do anything to make Brian happy with him again. 

John wrapped an arm around his love, not stopping for a moment as he pulled the singer towards the door of the farmhouse. The weather was too nice to miss out on, and he'd rather not hear their band mates go at it in the room next to theirs. Freddie followed with false reluctance and a roll of his eyes, quickly falling in step with the love of his life. It seemed that all was forgiven, everything back to the way it was supposed to be. It was so perfect that Freddie just happened to forget about a speed bump during their walk until they happened upon it and John nearly screamed his head off.

There, slowly waking up from his terrible rest, was Paul. His face carried a thick layer of bruises that made him look like a horrid creature. More than he already was, at least. The man looked half dead, and John was thoroughly creeped out as Paul's body started to twitch and move. 

"Freddie! What did you do!?"

"I took out the trash."


	9. And Now You Leave Me

"What if he had been seriously hurt!?" John was pacing, his arms tightly around his middle. Obviously, Paul was very much hurt, but he meant worse. Roger and Freddie had gone quite easy on the man, honestly. Compared to what they were capable of doing, John thought Paul's current injuries were nothing.

"You're concerned about  _him_?" Freddie asked in disbelief. He stood from where he had been sitting on the couch watching his lover pace to gently stop the bassist by taking his hands. He lifted John's arms so the younger man could clearly see the bruises Paul had left there. John had to look away. He couldn't stand the sight of them, the reminder of his weakness and his dishonor to Freddie. "Tell me you can play like this. Tell me."

Silence. Freddie nodded, already knowing that John wouldn't be able to even pick up his bass without trouble. The older man let their hands fall back to their sides. "He hurt  _you_ , John. He deserved what he got and more. He should have been dead. I was hoping leaving him out would do just that." They wouldn't be able to blame Freddie or Roger if Paul had passed away due to hypothermia or an animal attack. Sadly, neither of those things happened. 

John made a noise of frustration as he pulled away from Freddie to start his pacing again. Why couldn't the singer understand? They could get into a lot of trouble for doing that to Paul. Sure, he'd done some less than nice things to him, but Freddie and Roger had nearly  _killed_  Paul. They wanted Paul to be dead. That was too much, and John was quickly becoming overwhelmed again at the thought of it all.  

Paul groaned from his resting place on the floor. Freddie and John both stopped to turn and look at him. The man had been trying to stand up for the past half hour with no luck, not that the musicians could tell. From where they were, it only looked like Paul was squirming on the ground. He'd been mostly quiet until that point, giving John and Freddie a chance to talk. 

John had demanded that Freddie drag Paul back inside to avoid making his condition worse. Freddie had done so to keep his lover from getting upset with him, but he had refused to put Paul anywhere more comfortable than the hardwood. He hadn't even bothered to drag Paul to the carpet. Though incoherent, Paul was awake. 

"Bruised wrists hardly warrant a near death experience," John said quietly.

"Don't expect me to agree with you, darling. He knew what he was doing the moment he saw you come inside."

"Now you're just being fucking ridiculous. That didn't seem premeditated to me."

Freddie scoffed and walked over to Paul's limp body. John froze, hoping his boyfriend wasn't going to suddenly go on another rampage. Freddie grasped Paul's hair tightly in his hand, jerking his head up so John could see his bruised face again. John almost gagged. 

"He went after you because he wanted to get to me. He's been planning something like this for the past week. He kissed me while I was writing your song, barged into our room while we were sleeping in hopes of climbing into bed with me, and then forced himself on you. He wanted me to catch you, John. He tried telling me that you'd been having an affair this entire time," Freddie finally explained. 

The next few moments felt like they happened in one split second. There was a blur of bodies, and Freddie's arms were abruptly filled with a thin bassist. His brown eyes were wide as he held John away from Paul's body, keeping them separated so John couldn't hit the older man. Since when had their positions switched? Freddie was almost tempted to put his boyfriend down and let him take his own form of revenge, but he knew John would only be upset with himself for it later. The whole point of their argument had been for Freddie to preserve John's happiness. He wouldn't be doing that if he let the younger man take out his anger on Paul's body until he burned out. 

"The bloody hell is going on in here!?" Roger came storming in, Brian in tow. 

"Jesus fucking Christ," Brian muttered when he caught sight of Paul's face which Freddie had dropped back to the ground while rushing to take hold of John. He gagged and had to turn away to keep his stomach from turning. They had really done a number on the 'manager'.

"Take him please, dear" Freddie told Roger, moving to pass him John. The blond took his younger friend without too much trouble, though John didn't stop his fighting to get free. 

Roger rolled his eyes. "Why am I holding him back? Ah--fucking hell!" 

John gasped, the anger leaving his body even faster than it had appeared. "Rog, I'm sorry! Here, let me--"

"I didn't do anything!" Roger insisted, backing away and tilting his head upwards. Blood dripped steadily from his nose where John's elbow had accidentally caught him during the struggle. 

"You need to sit." Brian chose that moment to buck up his courage so he could help his boyfriend. He carefully avoided looking at Paul, all of them ignoring the man's presence as they moved to help Roger. Brian helped him to sit on the sofa while John grabbed a cloth for the blood and Freddie found a cold compress. 

"Shit. I'm really sorry, Roger. I didn't mean to, honest." John bit his lip as he offered the cloth to Brian who carefully positioned it around Roger's quickly swelling nose. 

"My face! Brian's going to leave me, aren't you, Bri? I'll die alone," the blond said dramatically, his voice coming out nasally because of his injury. 

"You'll have your car," Brian joked quietly as he set about cleaning the blood from Roger's face. 

Freddie couldn't help it. He burst out laughing while Roger pouted and the other two flitted around the drummer, fussing here and there. He knew that stupid song would come back to bite Roger in the arse. He was nearly doubled over in laughter, his teeth on full display, when he heard a cartoonish, "Fuck you, Freddie," from the blond himself. That sent the singer over the edge. Freddie collapsed on the couch in a fit of giggles next to Roger. 

"Boys, I've come to check on y-- Bloody hell!" Silence fell over the group as they simultaneously looked up from their positions around the couch to see John Reid stepping over Paul's prone body on the floor. "What happened?"

Before Freddie could respond as he did earlier, John quickly put a hand over his boyfriend's mouth and gave him a stern look. It worked to keep Freddie quiet, though he did roll his eyes a bit. Unfortunately, Roger didn't have a hand over his mouth, and the blond wasn't known for having a filter. 

"We kicked his ass and left him for dead." It was the truth. Brian groaned and shook his head as his fingers moving to pinch the bridge of his nose. The one time Roger managed to tell the truth and it was now.

~

Reid had been furious, rightfully so, though his anger did shift from the guys to Paul rather quickly when Brian sat the man down and explained what happened. He was the obvious choice for the best explanation seeing as he was the only rational one between him, Roger, and Freddie, and John was too shaken by the assault to speak about it to anyone. 

"I'm so sorry," the man told John once he was informed. John only managed to nod and move closer to Freddie. The singer wrapped his arms around his boyfriend without hesitation. "Let me make a quick call. I'll get him out of here and you four can finish the album...You are close to done, aren't you?" It was the reason he had come in the first place. 

"Nearly finished. Fred's working on one last piece to really sell it," Brian assured. Roger moved to speak up about his own incredible song, but was silenced by a look from Brian. The blond gave a bit of a pout and settled back against the couch, his nose stuffed with cotton while he held a cold compress over it. 

Reid nodded and walked over to the phone they had not far from the living room to dial up his office. He was going to get another manager sent down and have his boys take Paul to the authorities. He explained that there was no need to elaborate on the assault, just that it had happened and they were pressing charges on behalf of Reid and not the band (to avoid any nasty press). 

~

Freddie and Roger insisted they be present when Paul was dragged off just to make sure he was never coming back. Roger even managed to spit on Paul's neck before he was lifted from the ground. He smacked hands with Freddie in success, both of them watching with smirks on their faces. 

Brian and John refused to watch. Instead, they got started on their next meal together and ignored the others completely. John just wanted to forget about the whole thing, and Brian didn't know if he could hold himself back from hurting Paul worse if he had to be around him any longer. Brian wanted to defend John just as much as Roger and Freddie did, though he knew he was better off comforting John than beating up Paul.

"How about some cheese on toast, Deacy?" Brian asked quietly. That earned him a small smile and a nod from his quiet friend. He returned the gesture before setting about toasting the bread.

~

The boys sat around in the studio recording the last song they needed for their album. They'd all been ecstatic about it when Freddie first sang it to them, and were eager to record their parts. Brian's guitar solo was perfect after only a couple of tries (which wasn't a surprise). The drums were spot on, though Roger did take a while to hit the high notes he was sure only Freddie could hear. The finishing touch before bringing it all together was the bass. It wouldn't be as easily heard as the guitar or even the drums, but they needed the deep rhythm to truly make it great. 

So, they were watching John play his parts, separated only by glass. Well, they were watching John try to play his parts. His fingers kept slipping, and the faces he pulled told them all they needed to know about how unsatisfied he was with his playing. If the younger man didn't pull it together soon, they were going to run out of tape. Freddie went in.

"They're bothering you, aren't they, darling?" Before John could question his lover, Freddie marched up and gently cradled John's wrists in his hands. The bruises were dark. Healing, but dark. John nodded quietly, keeping his eyes off of Freddie to avoid getting worked up about it. Of course he was upset that Paul had ruined his playing! That didn't mean he was going to keep their album from being pitched any longer, though. No way was he going to be the one to slow them all down even further.    


"They're more stiff than anything." The bassist sighed and moved to pull his hands back to his strings. Freddie kept them instead, and lifted them so he could place a soft kiss on the bruises. John's ears turned a bright red, and there was a happy smile on his face. Freddie chuckled and kissed John's forehead. He hated the ugly marks on his love's body that stood as a physical reminder of their time with Paul. He'd managed to hold in his aggression around John after getting the jump on the sleazy manager. He wasn't going to let it slip now. 

"How about a break, yeah? A few minutes with some ice should help loosen them up. You can get this part out of the way, and then we can sit together at the soundboard," Freddie offered, willing to put the recording on hold for weeks if they had to, though he knew John would never go for that. When the younger brunet nodded, Freddie grinned and helped him get his bass back on the stand. "I'll get you some ice."

~

Roger had fallen asleep on the couch long ago. He was snoring in that soft way of his that told the rest of the band that he was utterly exhausted and still healing from his run-in with John's elbow. Brian and Freddie had been sitting and listening to their song on repeat for hours already, going through each note until they made it perfect. There had been a few tiffs, but John was right there to break it up and help them compromise. As it were, none of them had spoken for a while as they listened to the song a couple more times. 

"Wow..." Brian whispered as he sat back in his chair, his lips tilted up in a tired smile that reached his weary eyes. "That's brilliant."

"Of course it is, darling. We made it." Freddie gave Brian a bit of a nudge in the ribs as he said this, the last few notes of the song coming to their close. They both let out relieved sighs as their ears met silence again. "What do you think, my love?"

Brian and Freddie both turned their heads to glance down at John who had been situated in Freddie's lap since finishing his section of the recording. His head was rolled to the side and resting against Freddie's shoulder, his nose poking Freddie's neck lightly with each breath. It was clear to them that Roger wasn't the only one who had fallen asleep. Freddie gave a fond smile and dropped a kiss on John's cheek.

"I think we can call this a successful day of recording," Brian told his friend as they both stood up and stretched, though Freddie struggled to do so with John in his arms. 

The singer nodded and adjusted his hold on the bassist so John would be more comfortable. "A perfect success, darling. We'll all relax and listen to the album tomorrow, then we can bring the tapes to the office the next day. We all deserve to sleep in. I just know this is going to be our most impressive work yet!" 

Their eyes fell on their respective partners. Brian wished Freddie and John a good night before kneeling down in front of the couch and gently waking Roger. After a few whines, groans, and grumbles, Brian managed to get Roger to stand up for about three seconds. He ended up carrying the blond to bed, and Roger was asleep again in his arms before they even made it out of the studio.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading my story! This isn't the true end. I plan on continuing this story as a series of one-shots through Freddie and John's life together. There's no set update schedule, and it will likely be slower to update than this main story, but there will be updates!

**Author's Note:**

> There's not enough Queen slash fanfiction out there! I'm hoping to help with that. Anything you're desperate for? I'm taking suggestions for other Queen/Bohemian Rhapsody/BoRhap RPF fics.  
> Hope you all enjoyed reading so far! Feel free to drop a comment :)


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